Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

BREAK And Mend Chapter 1: I’ll Be Here Right Next to You

“Whatever you wanna do

I’ll be here right next to you

No matter what comes our way

I know we’ll be okay”

Jaune Arc

Beacon Academy- Courtyard

15 December 80 AGW

My lungs and my legs were both on fire as I managed to slow myself to a stop. I gulped down air greedily as I let myself slump over. Today I’d made the mistake of telling Pyrrha to go all out on our morning run. I’d wanted to see how far I’d progressed compared to her, but it was clear that my girlfriend was still miles ahead of me in terms of endurance.

A water bottle appeared in my vision, and I took it gratefully as I slowly straightened up. “Geez, Pyr…” I panted out as I uncrewed the cap. “Guess I still have a long way to go, huh?”

Pyrrha just chuckled softly at me. “Jaune, I thought we’d established long ago that you don’t need to be as strong as me? And besides…” She pulled out her Scroll and showed me her workout app. “You’ve been running at a good clip for over three miles now.”

I blinked and nearly choked on my next sip of water. “Wait, what?” Sure enough, the screen showed we’d been running for well over three whole miles, and I hadn’t even started flagging until the past twenty minutes… I knew that I was able to supplement my muscles with my Aura, and essentially speed my muscles’ development by healing them faster, but even so…

“You’ve come a lot farther than you give yourself credit for, Jaune,” Pyrrha said with a bright smile. “You’ve grown by leaps and bounds, and now that you have your Semblance, I know you’re only going to get even better.”

I couldn’t help but smile giddily at her praise. How had I ever been such an idiot as to think that Pyrrha was patronizing me? Everything she did, she did because she wanted to help me become the man she knew I could be. And that included training my Semblance these past couple of weeks. We’d worked out that I was able to freely give my Aura to others to greatly boost the rate at which theirs regenerated, as well as amplify their Semblances. Taylor had already theorized that I’d be able to use it on my own Semblance at some point, thereby amplifying my own Aura’s restoration. Which would, essentially, turn me into a near limitless source of Aura for as long as my stamina held up.

“Thanks, Pyr. Couldn’t have done it without you guiding me, though,” I told her. I held up a hand before she could give me the usual objection. “And I know you’re gonna say that it was my own talent and determination, but you and Taylor believed in me when a lot of people wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have caught up nearly as fast without the two of you. So… Thanks.”

Pyrrha gave me a fond smile and leaned in to give me a quick kiss. Feeling her lips on mine still sent a shock down my spine every time. “So long as you’re acknowledging that your own efforts were just as much a part of it~” she teased. “Now, let’s do a bit of a cooldown walk, and we can head back to the dorms.”

I nodded before taking another sip of water, remembering my girlfriend’s advice to slowly drink instead of chugging it all at once to avoid cramps. Once I could breathe a bit smoother again, we began a brisk walk to let ourselves cool down. The weather in Vale was definitely getting a bit frosty, but thankfully today was bright and clear. Still cold enough for both of us to be wearing sweatshirts and warm running pants that were now very sweaty, but not enough to force us to the gym treadmills instead.

As we walked, I felt my Scroll buzz in my pocket. I tucked my water into the corner of my arm and slipped it out, my brow furrowing as I recognized Saph’s name on the Caller ID. What could my older sister want with me at this hour?

I pressed the Answer button and held the Scroll to my ear. “Hey, Saph. What’s up?”

“Jaune, hey,” she greeted, sounding anxious as all get out. Had something happened to Terra? “Look, I’m calling because I figured you deserved a heads-up. Mom and Dad managed to get all of us together in Vale, and we’re gonna be up at Beacon in a few hours.”

I froze, my water bottle slipping free and hitting the ground. Mom and Dad were coming here. My sisters were coming here. All of them. “...Fuck…” was about all I could think to say.

“Yeah,” Saph agreed solemnly. “Like I said. Figured you needed a heads-up.”

“Jaune?” Pyrrha asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Is everything okay?”

“...Saph, I’m gonna put you on speaker,” I told my sister. “Pyrrha’s here with me.”

“Hey, Pyrrha,” Saph said once she was on speaker. “I was… I was just calling Jaune to let him know that the whole family is going to be up at Beacon in a few hours. I wanted to give him a warning.”

Pyrrha’s eyes went wide at the news, and she gave me a worried look. “Isn’t your family unsupportive of your identity?”

I used my hand to give a “so-so” gesture. “It’s… complicated. It’s not like any of them went out of their way to misgender or deadname me, but…”

“But they also still tended to see Jaune as the little princess of the family, even more so than Violette,” Saph finished for me.

“Huh? Did I just hear my name?” a familiar voice spoke up from the other end of the call.

“...Vi? Is that you?” I asked cautiously. 

“Jaune!? Is that you? Heyyyyy!” The call switched to video, and I was greeted by my younger sister’s bright, pale blue eyes and messy blonde hair as she stared into the camera. “Ah! It is you! Dust, do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you? You just called and said you were okay, and that was it!”

I chuckled softly. Vi had always had quite a bit of energy, and despite being the only one younger than me, still ended up fussing over me. But unlike the almost patronizing way that Claire, or Morgan, or Olivia would fuss over me, my little sister had always felt so much more genuine. “Hey, Vi. I’m alright. I, uh, heard you guys are all in town?”

“Yeah, I’m rooming with Saph and Terra,” she explained. “Mom and Dad have been trying to get us all together to come up and visit you ever since the attack happened. Took a bit to get Morgan and Olivia back here from Atlas and Vacuo, but now we’re all supposed to come see you.” Vi hesitated for a moment. “Are… Are you okay with that? I-if you’re not, we can probably try and find a way to–”

“It’s okay, Vi,” I replied. “I… I needed to face them eventually. I’m not the same boy who left home back in February, and they need to see that for themselves.” I’d been planning on going home at least once over the Winter break, if only to show them that I wasn’t their little princess anymore. But the attack had thrown all of our schedules off. We were all essentially just spinning our wheels until the “end” of the semester, and our professors had all decided to just give us a passing grade instead of full finals, given how intense the camp attack had been.

“...If you’re sure, Jaune,” Saph said as she took her Scroll back from Vi. “We’ll be there in about three hours, okay? And you’ll have Vi, Terra, and I in your corner.”

“I know.” I gave my older sister a smile. “Tell Terra I said hi.”

“You owe me a hug when I see you, got it, big brother?” Vi shouted from off-camera. 

“You’ll get a hug, I promise,” I told her with a chuckle. “Love you, Saph. Love you, Vi.”

“Love you, Jaune.” And with that, Saph hung up.

“...Jaune…” Pyrrha said quietly as I slipped my Scroll back into my pocket. “Are you sure about this?”

I nodded, trying to project as much confidence as I could. “I’m sure, Pyrrha. I can’t keep running from them. And besides… I’m gonna have you to back me up, right?” I slipped my hand into hers. “Long as I’ve got you, Ren, and Nora? They can’t hurt me. You guys are my family, too. And if the Arcs don’t want to see me for who I am… I know you guys will.”

Pyrrha’s cheeks colored a bit as she smiled at me. “...You really do know just what to say to make me feel loved, Jaune.”

Three hours was both plenty of time and not nearly enough. It was enough time for Pyrrha and I to get back to our dorm and take turns showering, freshen up, and make sure my armor was polished. Crocea Mors was, sadly, still out of action; the fire magic that Cinder had hurled during the camp attack had left a lot of damage on the shield, to the point of warping it until it could no longer collapse down. It was on the list to be repaired, but we weren’t really rushing to get back onto the battlefield at the moment.

It was not, however, enough time for me to calm down and figure out what I wanted to say to my family. I’d dreamed of this moment for ages–the chance to tell my parents and my older sisters off for treating me like some helpless princess, the chance to show them that I was my own man, the chance to lay down some form of ultimatum. But the Jaune who had dreamed about that was long gone. That was the Jaune who thought he had to be some macho manly man to be “worthy” of my identity. The Jaune who thought that he had to do everything himself without help. Now? Now I had no idea what I wanted to say.

Pyrrha and I had chosen to wait at the southwest pavilion, the one closest to the airdocks. And now that we were just waiting, my nerves were spiking through the roof. Pyrrha was leaned up against me to try and ground me, and she had slipped one of her hands down to mine. But my leg was still bouncing from the anxiety.

“Hey, bossman,” Nora said as she and Ren stepped into the pavilion. Her voice was unusually serious compared to her usual bubbliness. “Heard you need some backup.” They both had elected to wear their normal combat outfits to match Pyrrha and I, which was a nice gesture.

I gave Nora a weak smile. “Backup would definitely be appreciated, Nora. Glad you and Ren could make it.”

“We wouldn’t miss this for anything, Jaune,” Ren told me with a firm nod. “You’re our leader. We’ll stand with you the entire way.”

“Hope you aren’t forgetting your honorary sisters, either,” Taylor added as she and Ruby arrived. Taylor had already called her combat outfit out, and Ruby had swapped to her darker outfit she’d worn back in August. Taylor had her Pride Pin on front and center. “You know I’ve got your back, Jaune.”

“I know I’m not… super great with confrontation, but I’ve got your back too, Jaune,” Ruby agreed. “Us transfolk need to stick together.”

“Thanks, girls… I… I really appreciate it,” I said, feeling a few tears starting to well up. Before I’d gotten to Beacon, it had just been Saph and Vi. The only two who supported me unquestioningly in the family. And Saph had moved out to go live with Terra, so it’d really just been Vi. The two youngest Arcs trying to push back against so much doubt and disbelief. But now I had a team. I had Taylor and Ruby. I had friends who had accepted me without a second thought.

“Any idea what you want to say to them?” Taylor asked. 

I shook my head. “I’ve been trying to think of what to say for the past three hours, but I’ve got nothing.”

The corner of her lip quirked up in the tiniest of smiles. “Well… Then you’ve only got one option, don’t you?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to say that I should let my Heart be my guiding Key again?”

“Pretty much.” That earned a much needed laugh from the group, melting a lot of the tension away. 

“I’m serious, though, Jaune,” Taylor continued once we’d gotten it out of our system. “When it comes to things like this… Your brain might not know what you want to say, but your Heart does. So just… let it guide your words.”

‘Let my heart guide my words, huh?’ I could do that. I definitely knew that my heart had a lot it wanted to say.

Taylor glanced up sharply, looking out towards the docks. “Sky says they’re coming this way now,” she told us, making me scramble to my feet. Pyrrha caught my hand and gave it a firm squeeze, which I returned immediately. There was no turning back. No running away.

The six of us stepped out onto the path towards the airdocks, and sure enough, I could see Saph and Terra practically speedwalking their way up the cobblestones, along with another blonde with shorter, messier hair, who was dressed in a lavender off-the-shoulder blouse and a deep violet knee skirt. She also had a small lavender bag hanging off her shoulder, and I spotted one of her favorite fidget toys hooked to the strap. Her light blue eyes lit up as she saw me, and she took off sprinting towards me. 

“JAAAAAAUNE!” my little sister cheered, slamming into me for a hug that nearly bowled me over. “You’re okay! I mean, I know you said you were okay, but you’re okay! I’m so happy to see you!”

I chuckled fondly and gently ran my fingers through her hair. “Heh, good to see you too, Vi. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Vi murmured, burying her face into my shirt. “Now give me that hug you promised.”

I couldn’t help but smile as my arms went down to wrap around my sister’s back. “Yeah, yeah. I’ve got you.”

“And you ever doubted that you were her favorite sibling,” Saph snarked as she and Terra finally made it over to us. “Good to see you in person again, little bro,” she said, reaching over to ruffle my hair.

“You say that like we weren’t gonna see each other in like a week anyway,” I shot back with a smile. “We’re staying with you and Terra for Yule, remember?”

“Yeah, well… Seeing you’re okay in the flesh as opposed to over a Scroll screen helps give your big sister some peace of mind, alright?” Saph replied, her voice growing a bit more serious. “We were all worried about you, Jaune.”

“I know. And trust me, Beacon isn’t planning on letting anything like that happen ever again,” I reassured her. ‘And neither are we,’ I added mentally. We weren’t ever letting ourselves get caught so off guard again.

“As much as I don’t want to interrupt,” Taylor cut in, pointing back down the path, “we’ve got company.” 

Sure enough, as I followed her hand, I saw that the rest of my family was making their way towards us. Leading the way, to my utter lack of surprise, were Claire and Olivia. Claire had probably the brightest blonde hair out of all of us, and her eyes were a bit of a softer blue than mine, though not nearly as light as Vi’s. My oldest sister had elected to dress simply, in a soft red blouse and standard jeans. She’d moved out about a year before Saph had to go start a family with her husband, so the last time I’d seen her in person had been Yule two years ago; she’d been too sick to come last year. She looked pretty nervous, too, with her eyes darting about, probably looking for me. Along with Mom and Dad, Claire had always been the one who struggled the most with my identity and treating me like a man.

Olivia, meanwhile, had her usual fierce grin on her face as she took in her surroundings. Knowing my third oldest sister, she was probably evaluating where the best vantage points would be and how hard it’d be to climb to them. Her short hair was a pale blonde, almost platinum, and her eyes were only a hint lighter blue than mine. Olivia had always had a penchant for extreme sports, so I wasn’t shocked at all that she’d chosen a sleeveless green sweater, black fingerless gloves that ran past her elbows, and cargo pants as her outfit. 

Morgan was just behind them, her pale blue eyes hidden behind her thick round glasses, leaving her expression unreadable. Morgan was fourth oldest, just after Olivia, and she had ended up displaying more than a few signs of being on the spectrum, chief among them being the same issues with texture that Taylor had. She was one of the few to wear her pale blonde hair past her shoulders, along with the twins, and she’d chosen to stick to her classic white vest over a deep blue top and a simple matching knee skirt. I’d heard she’d gotten a coding job up in Atlas recently, so I was sure she was glad to be out of the cold.

The twins were right behind Morgan, looking just as nonchalant as always. Alice and Marine were always the pranksters of our family, despite being a year older than me, and the type of twins who got a massive kick out of confusing people. Their eyes were both aquamarine, and their hair color was what people would probably call “classic blonde.” They had their differences, though, and given I’d lived with them for eighteen years, I could pick them out easily. Alice wore her hair up in a ponytail and had elected to wear a slightly lighter blue shirt under her dark blue button-up, while Marine had chosen to wear her hair down, and had picked a sleeveless blue vest over a pale turquoise undershirt. They’d both gone with dark pants for the day. The twins had elected to stay and help run the family farm with our parents, and thus had ample time to tease the everloving hell out of me, including for my gender expression.

At the back of the pack were Mom and Dad. Aurora Arc had had to raise eight kids, and it showed in the lines on her worried face. Her hair was a pale yellow streaked with a few strands of white from stressing over all of us for nearly thirty years. Her eyes were a soft azure, and just like Claire, they were scanning about frantically, probably trying to find me. She’d chosen a simple high-necked white sweater and long beige skirt that went down to her mid-shins. The last time I’d seen her or Dad in person was the night before I’d stolen Crocea Mors and ran away…

Speaking of Dad, Percival Arc was a man who had run a farm for well over thirty years, and been a Huntsman on top of it, so he had the muscular physique to match. Dad had dirty blond, almost brown hair, and a full beard that I couldn’t help but be a tiny bit jealous of. Dust, I wished I could have something that made me look so firmly masculine. His expression was serious and schooled, but I knew that deep down, he was probably fretting just as much as mom. He’d chosen a gold and gray flannel shirt and a pair of beige work pants, along with his heavy brown boots.

As Vi let go of me and turned to face the rest of the family, I felt Pyrrha squeeze my hand and nudge my shoulder for support. I took a deep breath to try and center myself. It was time.

Claire spotted me first, and it looked like she was barely able to stop herself from breaking out into a run. “Jaune!” she called, her face lighting up a bit as she headed towards me. The rest of my sisters’ attention all snapped towards me as well, and one by one, they made their way over. 

“It’s… It’s so good to see that you’re alright,” Claire said once she reached me. She tentatively reached out for a hug, which, after a moment, I caved and allowed. “You have no idea how worried we’ve all been for you… We didn’t even know you were here until the Vytal Festival…”

“Yeah, Mor caught you on TV and told the rest of us,” Olivia chimed in, giving me a gentle slug in the shoulder once Claire released me. “That was pretty damn impressive fighting, little dude. Shame you didn’t go further, eh?”

I sighed, fighting the urge to rub my forehead with a hand in exasperation. Leave it to Olivia to work in a dig at me, even when she was complimenting me. “I made the best choice for our team, Olivia. Pyrrha and Nora had better coverage and combat ability.”

“That’s what I kept saying,” Morgan grumped as she adjusted her glasses. “Pyrrha Nikos was always going to go forward, given her combat prowess, and having a second sword and shield user over someone with better ranged coverage and a heavier weapon would have been foolish! You made the right decision, Jaune, even if it kept you out of the limelight.” 

I had to bite back a chuckle. If there was one sister who I didn’t entirely blame for not being immediately on my side, it was Morgan. My coming out was a big change for her, one she hadn’t necessarily been in a good place to process due to a lot of life events crashing down on her at the time. My fourth oldest sister worked best in logic and numbers, not nebulous stuff like gender, but she had at least made an effort once she was in a better place mentally to understand me.

“Still means Jauney sent the girls of the team ahead while he sat on his butt,” Marine teased. “Real manly, little bro~”

I felt Pyrrha tense next to me, so I squeezed her hand again to get her to ease off. I was fighting to keep my face carefully neutral. Marine and Alice always knew how to push the exact buttons they wanted for a reaction, and I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction. “I had faith in my team, Marine.”

“Hey, don’t go dissing our leader like that!” Nora said as she stepped forward, hands on her hips. “We never woulda won in the Doubles Round without his strategy!”

“Alright, let’s not go making a bad first impression, girls,” Mom said, stepping in between the twins and Nora for a moment. She looked over at me, and her expression softened. “...Jaune… It’s… it’s so good to see you, my darling child…” she told me quietly.

“Yeah, you just ran off without so much as a note!” Alice accused. “Do you know how freaked out we all were? We just woke up and you were gone along with great-great-Grandpa’s sword and shield! We had no idea where the hell you went!”

“What, were we just not cool enough for you anymore, little bro?” Marine added, putting her own hands on her hips as she leaned around Mom. “Figured the farm life just wasn’t for you?”

“Marine, enough,” Claire said, whirling on her. “And you too, Alice. We’re here to make sure that our little sibling is alright, not to go flinging accusations at him! He’s been through something incredibly traumatic, and you need to go easy on him!”

“Can you guys all back off?” Vi finally interjected. “Or do you all just not remember that there was a reason Jaune ran away?” I glanced over at her out of the corner of my eye, and she seemed to be fuming. “Maybe if you would calm down and let him talk instead of jabbing at him, he might be able to explain things!”

“I mean the answer is pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Olivia asked rhetorically. “Little bro wanted to be a Huntsman, like Dad. So he ran off to Beacon. Chasing thrill and adventure, just like his big sis!”

“But there were better ways to go about that–” Claire started.

“Like what?” Saph challenged. “Dad refused to train him.” I noticed Dad look away at that. It was strange that he hadn’t spoken up yet at all…

“Because he didn’t want Jaune to get hurt,” Mom insisted. “Your father knows firsthand how dangerous being a Huntsman is, and we didn’t want that for our children, especially not–”

“Especially not your little princess, right?” I felt myself snap out. I wasn’t sure what pushed me over the line, but I could feel my heart pounding. Taylor had said to let it take the lead. So I was going to just speak from the heart. “That’s the real reason, isn’t it? Because I was too weak. Too frail. Even with the Testosterone, I was always going to be your little princess, only good for the light work. Leave all the heavy stuff to Alice and Olivia, but not Jaune. Never Jaune. He couldn’t handle it.”

“J-Jaune, I–”

“No, Mom,” I cut her off. “I don’t want to hear your excuses or justifications. You guys wanna know why I ran away? Fine. I’ll tell you.” I swept my gaze across my sisters and my parents. “I left because I felt like I had to prove that I was a man. That the way I felt was real, and not just some delusion. I left because I thought that getting into Beacon and becoming a Huntsman was the only way I was ever going to get any of you aside from Saphron, Violette, and Morgan to ever accept that I was a man.” My eyes snapped to Claire. “That I wasn’t someone to be coddled.” To Olivia. “That I wasn’t some frail little girl who couldn’t handle the stress.” To the twins. “That I deserved to be respected for who I am.” To Mom, and then Dad. “That my choices, my goals, deserved to be respected. All I have ever wanted from life was to be treated like the man I know I am, and to leave some sort of impact on the world. Some sort of proof that I existed.”

I looked back at my team. Nora had a feral grin on her face, Ren gave me a resolute nod, and Pyrrha stood at my side, hand in mine, in absolute solidarity. Taylor gave me a thumbs up before she patted her chest, right over her heart. Ruby gave me a nervous smile.

“Here at Beacon, I’ve found people who accepted me without a second thought,” I continued as I turned back to my family. “I told them I was trans, and the first thing they did was congratulate me on my bravery. Taylor and Ruby have been more supportive of me than over half of my real sisters. My team found out that I faked my way into this school, and they didn’t give a damn, because they trusted me.” My eyes found Dad’s again. “And the two people who helped me catch up to everyone keep constantly telling me that I have a raw talent that blew their expectations out of the water. I have caught up to people who trained for years to be Huntsmen and Huntresses in only ten months. I wonder how good I could have been if you’d actually bothered to train me?”

I gestured vaguely back towards Beacon. “I have friends here. I have people I consider family here. I found love here, and I am the luckiest man in the whole damn universe that she loves me back. I would never have found any of that if I’d stayed on the farm, rotting away under the constant jabs and disbelief. I was planning on coming back home once I’d proven to myself that I was a ‘real man.’ But I was always a real man. You just didn’t want to accept that, not fully. So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m not as thrilled to see you as some of my friends were to see their parents again.”

My gaze swept across my family. They were all too stunned to speak. This was probably the first time I’d ever truly spoken my mind about all of this, and I wasn’t done. “Do you get how fucked that is?” I asked rhetorically. “The fact that the idea of you guys visiting made me scared? That I had to spend six months here hiding who I was because you convinced me that I wasn’t valid enough? That I had to spend so damn long just catching up to everyone else? Taylor and Emily are from a completely different world, one with no Huntsmen and Huntresses, and they were still ahead of me, because they’d taken friggin’ kendo lessons as a hobby. Why was it so much to ask for you guys to love me for who I am, and not who you thought I was? To support my dreams?” I felt tears starting to well in my eyes, but I couldn’t stop. “Why is it that you could celebrate Morgan getting a job in Atlas, or Claire getting married, or Olivia running off to Dust knows where every other week for extreme sports, but couldn’t support and celebrate me?”

I was left panting hard as I finally felt myself run out of steam. It had gotten a little messy towards the end, but I’d finally gotten everything out there. All of the anger, and jealousy, and bitterness. I watched my siblings’ faces for a reaction. Claire looked utterly stunned. Olivia was visibly wincing in guilt. The twins couldn’t meet my eyes. Mom looked like she was on the verge of tears. And Dad–

“...You’re right,” Dad said, finally looking up and meeting my eyes. To my surprise, he looked like he was about five seconds from crying, too. “You’re right, Jaune. And I am so, so sorry that we ever made you feel that way. That we ever made you feel like you were unloved, or unsupported. That is my failing as a father.”

I blinked in shock. “W-wait, what…?”

“After you ran away,” Mom spoke up, her voice sounding choked, “we had to take a long, hard look at ourselves. Your child doesn’t just run away from home for no reason, after all… It was really Violette who made us understand, though.”

My little sister let out a huff of annoyance. “Yeah, because it was so obvious. You all kept treating Jaune like he was made out of glass, and when you weren’t doing that, you were constantly jabbing at his sore spots!” She glared at the twins and Olivia.

“About a week after you left,” Mom continued, “Violette finally got fed up with all of us asking why it had happened, and essentially exploded on those of us still at the farm. Her words… I suppose they finally broke through the haze in front of our eyes, and we realized how much damage we’d done.”

Claire stepped forward, a deeply guilty look on her face. “Jaune, I… I’m sorry, little brother,” she told me. “I never wanted to make you feel like I didn’t accept you, or that I didn’t think you could handle things. I just… You’re my family, Jaune. My little brother. I wanted to keep you safe, but… I realize I was stifling you. And I’m sorry for that.”

Olivia stepped up next. “Jaune… I should have told you this way long ago, but I never meant all the little jabs and ribbing as anything other than sibling banter. I’m super proud of you and how far you’ve come, little bro, and teasing has always been one of the ways I show affection. But I can see now that… That it never came off that way to you. That to you, I was just being a dick. And I never intended it to be like that, but… But what I intended means jackshit when it hurt you. So I’m sorry, too.”

Morgan gave me a weak smile as she chose to step forward. “I know that I was not the most accepting when you came out, Jaune. I’m a creature of habit and routine, and change can be… difficult, especially when it’s something so fundamental to one of my siblings and my relationship with them, and doubly so when my life was already in a bit of turmoil with school and my own issues. That being said… You are, and always will be, my little brother, and I’m so glad to be able to call you that. So please accept my own apology for my early struggles with accepting you as a man.”

The twins exchanged a look before Alice stepped forward next, sighing and keeping her head low. “I… I don’t think me or Marine have any big excuses or anything, Jaune. We were just… kinda dicks to you. It just felt so easy to prank you and tease you, because you’d always have these big reactions, and everything. But that basically became our whole relationship… And like you said, that’s pretty fucked up.”

“You shouldn’t have to dread seeing your family,” Marine agreed softly. “And you’re right; we should have respected you a lot more than we did. When we woke up and you were gone… I was terrified, Jaune.” She finally looked up, and I could see tears welling in her eyes. “I was so scared that you’d run away to Dust knew where and that it was my fault. That me and Alice had pushed you too far, and you’d run off into the woods to die!”

Alice nodded. “Y-yeah… I-I think Marine and I cried for like… two days straight… We were so scared, Jaune. And knowing that we’re even a part of the reason you ran off to Beacon without saying anything… We’re sorry, little bro. Seriously.”

“...I could make any number of excuses about what I’ve seen in my time as a Huntsman,” Dad said as he stepped forward, resting a supportive hand on each of the twins’ shoulders. “Of the horrors and the death I saw, and how I wanted to shield you from them. But they’re all just that: excuses. Justifications post hoc to try and explain away my unwillingness to train you, Jaune. The truth is that I was just scared of my children facing the Grimm. I was scared, and that fear meant that I kept you from your dream. It meant that as you started coming into your own as a young man, I kept my distance when I should have been showing you the ropes. I should have been modeling what it meant to be a good man, and a good person, and instead I froze you out. And I’m sorry, Jaune. Truly, deeply sorry for making you feel as though I didn’t support you or your identity.”

“I… I simply didn’t know what to do, at first,” Mom admitted as she finally joined the others. “When you came out to us, my head was spinning. And despite it all, despite the new name, and the binders, and the testosterone… On some level I kept seeing that same little princess, and my mind simply wouldn’t stop, no matter how I tried. I think that on some level, I was scared, too. Scared that this change would mean I’d lose my connection to one of my children… And in the end, I did, but through my own actions.” She met my eyes, despite the way her voice still trembled. “I’m so, so sorry, Jaune. I love you for who you are, as my son. And I hate this distance between us, but I also recognize that it’s entirely of my own making.”

I found myself taking a step back in pure shock. Just like that, they’d all… apologized. And not just a “Sorry you felt that way,” but a genuine apology from each of them. I didn’t really know how to handle it. This wasn’t at all how I’d expected this to go!

Pyrrha’s hand squeezed mine softly, and I glanced over to see her giving me a soft, reassuring smile. “...It’s your call, Jaune,” she whispered to me. “The only one who can forgive them or not is you. Would you like to give them a chance?”

Did I want to give my family a second chance? I’d spent so long building myself up at Beacon just to prove to them that I was worthwhile, and here they all were, showing me I never had to. But it had taken running away from home, and Vi blowing up at them, for them to realize that. And yet at the same time… Despite all the anguish, I did still love my siblings. I did still love Mom and Dad. They weren’t bad people…

“I… I-I don’t really know what to say,” I eventually managed to get out as I looked back towards my family. “I… wasn’t really expecting a big apology like this. And… And you guys hurt me. Maybe not physically, but I definitely have a lot of healing left to do.” Mom and Dad looked especially crestfallen as I said that. I took a breath, making sure that I was saying what I wanted to say. “But… At the same time… I do still love you guys. All of you. And if you’re willing to put in the effort to mend our relationships… then I am, too.”

Olivia was the first to really process the words, and I could see her face slowly light up with a renewed hope. “You… You mean it, little bro?” she asked cautiously.

I nodded, a bit more sure of myself now. “I do. You guys are still my family, and you all clearly get you messed up. Nothing’s going to be fixed overnight, and I don’t think our relationships are ever going to be like they were before… But that can be a good thing, too. We can work on it together.”

Claire wrapped me up in a tight hug. “...Thank you, Jaune,” she whispered. “I swear, we’ll do our best to fix this.”

Marine joined the hug a second later. “Yeah. No more bullying and pranks, little bro. I wanna show you exactly how much you mean to us.”

“What she said,” Alice agreed as she hugged me too. “We love you, Jaune. And I’m just glad to see you’re okay…”

One by one, the rest of the family joined the group hug. It was… nice. It was so damn nice to feel how much my family actually did love me, even if it had taken this long for them to figure out what they’d done wrong. I genuinely believed they wanted to make things right.

Once we’d broken off the hug, Pyrrha returned to my side and threaded her hand with mine. It didn’t go unnoticed. “Soooo…” Olivia started, grinning despite the tear marks on her cheeks. “You mentioned love, yeah? This the lucky lady?”

I smiled warmly as I nodded. “She is, yeah. Though I’d say I’m the lucky one, here.” That got a fond eyeroll from Pyrrha, which I counted as a win. “Everyone, this is Pyrrha. She’s my girlfriend, and my partner here at Beacon.”

Pyrrha gave a small bow. “It’s nice to meet all of you,” she said politely. “Jaune has made for a wonderful leader, and an even more amazing boyfriend.”

Mom gave Pyrrha a soft smile. “Oh, so he’s been a gentleman, then? I’m glad. And you clearly make him very happy.”

Pyrrha blushed at the comment. “Oh, Jaune has been the perfect gentleman,” she agreed. “I could not have asked for a better man to be my partner.”

“It only took you what, four months to finally confess?” Taylor teased as she walked up to join us. “Considering I started noticing you making a fool of yourself in June?”

Pyrrha fake-glowered at Taylor. “You’re hardly in any position to talk, Taylor. How long did you have feelings for Kana before you confessed to her?”

“Hey, I had an excuse,” my other mentor immediately shot back with a grin. She turned her focus to my family. “Taylor Blackquill. Pyrrha and I are the ones who helped Jaune catch up on his training.” She gently rapped her knuckles against the side of my head. “One of the finest tacticians I’ve ever known. And he’s this close to finally beating me in chess.” I used my free hand to flip Taylor off, making her laugh.

“That pin on your shirt…” Vi spoke up, a bit more nervous now that someone she wasn’t familiar with was talking. “Isn’t that a Pride flag?”

Taylor practically beamed at my little sister. “Yup! The trans pride flag, to be specific. I’m out and proud.” She gently nudged me with her shoulder. “And proud to call Jaune my honorary brother.”

“Tay likes to see the rest of the trans community as her siblings,” I explained quickly. “Once I came out, she extended that to me.”

The sound of Nora clearing her throat cut off any further thoughts on that matter, and I turned back to see her tapping her foot impatiently, making me laugh again. “Right, right. The rest of my team. Everyone, this is Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren, the other two members of Team JNPR.”

Nora waved enthusiastically, any previous animosity seemingly all but forgotten. “Heya! Cool to meet the rest of our fearless leader’s family! We met Saphron back over Summer Break, but the rest of you are new!”

Ren gave a small nod. “Greetings.”

“So, you really got made team leader, huh, little bro?” Olivia asked. For once, I couldn't hear any indication of that being a jab in her voice. “How did that go down? I’ve heard Beacon’s Initiation can be intense.”

I opened my mouth to explain, but Nora beat me to it. “Ooh, ooh, I got this one! So there we were, surrounded on all sides by one hundred Ursai…”

Violette Arc

Beacon Academy- Courtyard

15 December 80 AGW

After listening to Jaune’s very… enthusiastic teammate tell tall tales about my older brother’s experience at Initiation, I’d decided to get a little bit of space and wander the grounds of Beacon. Jaune had made sure I had my GPS signal enabled on my Scroll so I didn’t get lost, and Mom and Dad had made me promise to not leave the school grounds (not like I could without getting on a Bullhead…). Still, that was plenty of space to wander in, so I’d pulled my ear buds out of my bag, put on one of my favorite music playlists, and just let my feet take me wherever. It only took a few minutes before I was lost in my own world, bobbing my head to the familiar songs.

Unfortunately, that meant that I wasn’t watching where I was going enough to avoid bumping into someone else. We didn’t slam into each other, thank Dust, but it was enough to make the other person scramble for their Scroll to avoid dropping and cracking it. Thankfully, they, or rather, she, managed to catch it midair and hold it to her chest before she turned to face me. The girl I’d bumped into was just barely shorter than me, with wavy deep blue hair, golden yellow eyes, and large round glasses. She had a simple gray dress that looked a bit warm for Vale, even at this time of year, and looked to be about my age.

“O-oh my Dust…” the girl stammered in a quiet, mousy voice, struggling with eye contact (relatable). “I-I’m sorry. S-so, so sorry! Are you okay? I-I wasn’t looking where I was going, are you alright?”

“O-oh, so sorry!” I rambled out at nearly the same time, already used to apologizing for getting lost in my head. “I-I wasn’t looking where I was going either, I’m so sorry! I-I got a little too hyperfixated on my music, and I didn’t notice you!” I felt my hands starting to fidget nervously, to the point where I was really considering going for my fidget toy… “I-I didn’t make you damage anything, did I? I’m super, super sorry.”

The other girl shook her head, her hair bobbing from side to side as she stuffed her Scroll in her pocket. “No, no, no! I-I’m totally fine! I-I was…” She sighed, looking down at her feet. “I was texting and walking… I-I didn’t look where I was going at all…”

“And I should have been paying more attention instead of getting lost in my music,” I insisted, not wanting to upset the other girl. Maybe it was because she was pretty… No, wait, there was time to be a useless bisexual later, Violette! “Y-you sure you’re not hurt?” I pressed. “I, uh, well, my brother did just find out he has a healing Semblance now, if you need to–” I cut myself off, realizing I was just offering Jaune up like he was some sort of commodity, and started muttering to myself. “No, come on, Vi, get it together. You can’t just go bugging Jaune when he’s spending time with his girlfriend…” It was pretty clear my big brother needed time to cool off after seeing everyone again, so Pyrrha had whisked him away for Dust only knew what.

“N-no, y-you didn’t bump into me,” the other girl replied, “we just almost–” She cut off, her eyes going wide. “W-wait, hey… D-did you just say Jaune…?” Her eyes seemed to light up a little as she stood up straighter. Did she know my brother somehow? She didn’t look like she was Beacon aged… But then again, neither did Ruby.

I nodded. “Oh, uh, yeah. Do you know my brother?” I asked. “He’s a student here. My family is visiting to make sure he's okay after everything that happened last month…”

“Y-yeah!” the other girl confirmed. “I-I met him a couple of weeks ago! H-he was… He was super nice. He helped give me a tour around Beacon! I-I didn’t know he had a sister…” She smiled softly. “I-I was actually about to go meet a friend I made during the tour he gave me.”

I snorted in amusement. “A sister? Jaune has seven sisters, actually. I’m, uh, the youngest. Violette Arc. It's nice to meet you. But, uh, I shouldn't keep you busy if you're going to meet a friend! Sorry…”

The other girl nearly choked on air. “Seven?!” she squeaked adorably. “I-I thought two was enough for me, but seven…?” She blinked, seemingly not realizing she’d said that out loud until just now. “S-sorry, I… I just… W-wow…”

I giggled. “No, no, trust me, I get it,” I assured her. “A few of them are already out and about in the world, but the family farm can definitely be a bit… crazy, sometimes, hehe…”

“W-well, it’s nice to meet you! I-I’m Soaryn… Soaryn Vermillion,” the other girl finally introduced herself. I noticed her wince slightly as she did, though I wasn’t sure why. Was her name recognizable or something? “U-um, I’m… actually a bit lost,” she admitted. “I was following some directions my friend gave me…”

“Oh, maybe I can help?” I offered, always happy to lend a hand. “My big sis and I were looking at the map of the school before we got here. …Although I’m realizing ‘big sis’ doesn’t really narrow it down when I have six of them,” I said, feeling a little silly.

Soaryn giggled at me, which made it all worth it. “W-well, um… Whichever one it was, I-I’m sure you can help out… M-my friend is at the, um…” She pulled her Scroll back out before she began to read. “The northeastern most pavilion along the courtyard’s outer ring?”

I glanced down at my own Scroll to check the time, then looked up to the sun. It was just past 2 PM, and thanks to the season, the Sun was already pretty firmly in the western half of the sky. I quickly oriented myself using that so that I was facing northeast. “Okay, then the northeast pavilion should be… This way!” I set off in the right direction.

“O-oh, did you just… Wow…” Soaryn mumbled before catching up with me.

The two of us found the pavilion after a few minutes’ walk. Sure enough, there was someone else waiting, a girl with bright pink hair in a simple ponytail and deep green eyes. She had a soft blue long-sleeved blouse on, as well as a darker blue skirt with white detailing and midnight blue tights. Just like Soaryn, she seemed to be my age (And also super pretty, aaahhhhhh). The pink-haired girl stood up and waved as we approached.

“Ah, Soaryn,” the girl greeted, her voice sounding surprisingly formal and dignified. “You made it. And you… brought a guest?” She turned to look at me with a curious expression, making me feel a bit out of place.

“O-oh, um… I’m Violette Arc,” I replied nervously. “Soaryn and I bumped into each other a few minutes ago, and I was helping her find this place. Are you her friend?”

The pink-haired girl nodded and gave me a small curtsy. “Estelle Statice. Thank you, miss Violette, for helping Soaryn.” Miss? Was she some super fancy noble girl? Did Vale have nobility?

“H-hi, Estelle!” Soaryn said with a shy wave. “Um… N-nice to see you again…”

Estelle smiled warmly at Soaryn. “I'm glad you were able to find your way here, Soaryn. I was admittedly starting to get slightly concerned.”

“S-sorry,” I instinctively apologized. “Didn't mean to hold her up at all. I, uh, got a little… I zoned out while I was listening to music, and then I was worried I'd hurt Soaryn when we nearly smacked into each other, and then I–”

Estelle held out a hand, gently cutting off my rambling. “Breathe, please, miss Violette,” she chided, still smiling.

“I-I wasn’t hurt at all,” Soaryn added. “Totally okay, I swear, I-I just got a little startled, that’s all!”

I felt myself fidgeting nervously regardless, but I managed to nod at the pair. “That's, uh, that's good. I-I mean, not the startled part! The not hurt part! Dust, I-I really should just let you two get back to whatever you're doing…”

Estelle shook her head. “Please, miss Violette, you aren't disrupting anything. Soaryn and I were simply planning on exploring campus a bit more after who I presume is your older brother gave us a more guided tour a couple of weeks ago. If Soaryn has no issue with it, you're more than welcome to join us?”

Soaryn nodded, giving me a small smile. “Y-yeah! I don’t mind a bit! You… You seem really nice! A-are you planning on coming to Beacon? O-or, you know… o-one of the Academies?”

I blinked, not having expected that question. I’d never really thought about it before, given how adamant Dad had been about not training Jaune… But now that he wasn’t being so stubborn, maybe… “I, uh… Well, maybe?” I ultimately answered. “I, uh, kinda had just resigned myself to staying on the family farm, with how opposed Mom and Dad were to my brother Jaune trying to become a Huntsman. But I think they've come around on that, so… Yeah. I'd like to be a Huntress, if I could.”

“You’d certainly be welcome at Beacon, from what I understand,” Estelle assured me. “Jaune is quite well-liked if what Ruby has told me is any indication.” Wait, Estelle knew Ruby? Were they friends, then?

“Y-yeah, my sister mentioned him a time or two,” Soaryn agreed. “She told me all about her friends here, especially when she first transferred! I-I think her quote about him was, um… ‘kind blond sweetheart?’”

I giggled to myself. That sounded like my brother, alright. And hearing that he was so well-liked made me really happy. Jaune had finally found a place to belong. “I'm glad, really. He always kinda struggled to be accepted back home, especially with, uh…” I trailed off, realizing that I was about to out my brother. “W-wait, shoot, can't talk about–” I cut off again, realizing that that was even more suspicious. “Oh, Dust, and now they're gonna be wondering what I can't talk about, and it's going to–”

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I felt Estelle lay a hand on my shoulder. “Breathe, please, Violette,” she chided gently again. “If you're referring to what I believe you are, then Ruby has mentioned it to me in passing. Honorary siblings, and such.” Wait, Ruby was another “honorary sibling” like Taylor was? Huh, so that was what Jaune had meant about her and Taylor being more supportive. “And I doubt that Soaryn or I would make such assumptions about someone our respective connections at Beacon have spoken so highly of.”

Soaryn looked between the two of us, clearly not getting what we were talking about. “I-it’s okay, Violette,” she tried to reassure me anyway, “I-I’m not going to make any kind of assumptions. M-Mari–my, uh, my sister… she didn't mention anything particular about your brother! She j-just complimented him, is all…”

I sighed in relief. I didn’t end up outing my brother. Mission success. “That's good, then. It's not my secret to share, but I'm just really happy he has people like Taylor and Ruby now…”

“He’ll have Oscar as well,” Estelle said, “once he, Corvin, and Sora join Beacon in February. Professor Ozpin's policy of inclusion and Beacon's strong punishments for bigotry are part of why we all wanted to attend here, after all.” She stepped back, removing her hand from my shoulder. “In any case… I didn't have any particular destination in mind for today's exploration, but perhaps we could start back in the music room, Soaryn?”

Soaryn’s eyes lit up in excitement immediately. It was adorable to see. “Oh! I-if you’d like to, y-yeah! We can start there a-and then go wherever after!” She glanced over at me. “U-um… Any objections, Violette…?”

“Oh, Beacon has a music room?” I asked, surprised. I hadn’t expected that. “That's really cool! I, uh, can play a couple of instruments. Piano and guitar, mostly. Not really all that good, but–”

“Oh, nonsense,” Estelle cut me off. “I'm sure you're much better than you give yourself credit for, Violette. Shall we?”

“Oh, uh, sure!” I agreed.

The three of us set off towards the music room, Estelle leading the way to make sure Soaryn and I didn’t get lost. As we navigated the corridors, though, my ears began to catch the sound of someone singing, accompanied by soft, mournful piano.

"Leave her, Johnny, leave her

Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her

For the voyage is done

And the winds don’t blow

And it’s time for us to leave her"

The singer sounded feminine, I could tell that much, and there was a lot of emotion tied up in their voice. Loss, longing, pain… 

“Oh my,” Estelle said quietly. “Someone has quite the voice…”

“Th-there’s someone already there?” Soaryn asked nervously. “I-I don’t think we should bother them… The song is nice, though…!” She held her arms to her chest, clutching a sketchbook I hadn’t noticed before. “W-we could… We could skip it if you'd like?”

The voice cut out just as she finished, as did the sound of music. “I think they may have just finished, actually…” Estelle replied.

I heard the distinct sound of a piano key case being slid into place, and a moment later, an older girl stepped out of the music room. She had neck-length red hair a shade or two lighter than Pyrrha’s, along with emerald eyes and what looked to be fox ears on her head. She was dressed in a simple sea blue sleeveless sweatshirt and darker blue capris. Her expression was, in a word, melancholic. 

She glanced up and nearly tripped over herself as she noticed us. “O-oh, sorry! D-did you three want to use the music room? I-I’ll get out of your hair,” she stammered, moving to leave in the opposite direction. 

“...You’re… miss Amy, yes?” Estelle asked quietly, making the girl turn back and pause. She visibly winced, but nodded.

“...Yeah, that’s me,” she confirmed. “I, uh… I-I didn’t hurt anyone you know, did I?” she asked, making me tilt my head in confusion. What in Dust did she mean by that?

Estelle shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of, no.”

“U-uhhh… I-I don’t think so?” Soaryn added, shaking her head as well.

“That’s… That’s good, then,” Amy replied, sounding relieved. “I-I’ll just go somewhere else, then. Sorry for being in the way.”

“Miss Amy, you weren’t in the way,” Estelle said before the redhead could leave. “I promise that much. And your song was very beautiful. Might I ask what it’s about?”

Amy blinked in surprise. “O-oh, uh… It’s just an old sea shanty from back home. A guy leaving his old and rotten ship he's worked on for ages.”

“Ooh, sea shanties… Cool!” I said, excited. I’d always enjoyed hearing sea shanties; they were all so energetic and fun to sing along with.

“Yeah,” Amy replied half-heartedly. “I, uh… My ancestry is rooted in a place with a deep history of sailing and shanties, so I kinda picked them up when I was younger.” Was she from Argus, then? Or maybe another port town?

“Well, your singing voice is wonderful, miss Amy,” Estelle told her, sounding sincere. 

“Uh… thanks,” Amy said awkwardly. “I’ll, uh, just be on my way…” She quickly darted down the hall before Estelle could stop her again.

“...Geez, what was that about?” I asked once she was out of sight. “Why was she so skittish?”

“I… I don’t know,” Soaryn said softly, sounding concerned. “I… I feel like she was trying to hide something. Maybe she’s just… nervous around others? Like me?”

Estelle sighed dejectedly. “Miss Amy was… From what Ruby has told me, she was taken by a man with a mental manipulation Semblance and made to serve the people who attacked the camp. She was… Well, you may have heard of Sea Fox, the one attacking Huntsmen in Mistral. That was her.”

My eyes went wide. Even though our farm wasn’t the easiest place to stay well-informed, I’d heard plenty about Sea Fox and the Black Knight as they’d torn their way through Mistral… and how they’d shown up at the attack on the camp my brother was at. If Amy was Sea Fox, and she’d had her mind screwed with to force her into it…

“Oh, geez…” I gasped. “You’re saying she was mind controlled?” I clarified.

“Essentially, yes,” Estelle confirmed.

“O-oh, gosh,” Soaryn whimpered. “Th-that’s her? She’s… O-oh, that’s terrible…” She continued to watch the direction Amy had left in, a solemn look on her face. “I hope… I hope she’ll be okay…”

“Yeah… Poor girl must be drowning in guilt,” I agreed.

“With any luck, Ruby will find her own way to help her,” Estelle said as she stepped towards the music room door. “If there's one thing I know about my friend, it's that she doesn't give up on people when they need help.” She looked back towards us, gesturing with her head. “In any case… Shall we?”

“O-oh, yeah!” Soaryn said, nodding quickly. “Of course!”

As I stepped into the music room behind the pair, I had to marvel at the sheer number of instruments on display. Headmaster Ozpin had clearly spared no expense… “Whoa… It’s so well stocked,” I mumbled. “I don't think I've even seen some of these instruments before…”

Soaryn had visibly lit up once we were in the room, a clear excitement peeking its way through her shyness. “I know, it’s amazing! Is there anything you play, Violette?”

“Oh, uh, mostly piano and guitar,” I answered. “Mom has a big piano in the house and Dad loves the guitar, so I picked up a few things from them. Like I said, though, I'm not really amazing, so–”

“Please, Violette, dear,” Estelle interrupted with a fond roll of her eyes. “don't go putting yourself down before you've even begun.”

Soaryn nodded firmly. “I-I’m sure you’re much better than you think… But, wait, so we all play an instrument, then?”

I turned towards Estelle with a raised eyebrow, and she nodded my way. “Indeed we do, it seems. I tend towards the violin, but I do have some experience in other stringed instruments, as well as several woodwinds. And my words to Violette apply to you, as well; do not go denigrating yourself so quickly, Soaryn, dear.”

I blinked and looked back at Soaryn. Had she put herself down on that tour Jaune gave them, then? Soaryn was blushing from Estelle’s comment, so I guessed that the answer was yes. “I-I won’t, promise,” she replied. “Um… I-I play the harp… It was an instrument that Carmellia, my older sister, likes to play. She taught me how, a-and… I’ve always loved it. I would play it while she played piano… A-and Val would play his…” She trailed off, likely because she noticed she was rambling. 

Estelle and I both smiled at her. “Don't worry too much about rambling, Soaryn,” I told her. “I do it all the time, ehe…”

“Perhaps we could take turns, then?” Estelle suggested. “Unless either of you happen to know a song all three of us could play together?”

Soaryn and I both shook our heads. “O-oh, um… No, I don’t have any ideas, sorry,” the other girl apologized.

“Uh… Guess I can go first then?” I offered, stepping over to the piano and sitting down on the bench. I removed the key case and stretched my fingers out. I took a few calming breaths as I ran my fingers over the keys, getting used to the sounds. I ran through a mental catalogue before settling on a simple, sweet song that Mom had taught me ages ago, and began to play. My fingers glided over each key naturally, and I let myself get lost in the music for a few minutes.

“...Violette, my dear,” Estelle said as I finished the song, making me jump from how much closer she was than she had been. “I do believe you rather effectively undersold your talents.”

I felt myself blush as I realized what she meant. “O-oh, come on, I’m not that good,” I deflected. It wasn’t like I’d played some masterpiece composition.

“That… That was beautifully played, Violette!” Soaryn chimed in, beaming at me. “Just wonderful…” Her attention then turned to Estelle, clearly hoping she’d go next.

“Soaryn is correct,” Estelle affirmed as she moved towards the violins. “You played wonderfully, dear. You should have more confidence.” Oh, Dust, getting complimented by two pretty girls? I was doomed… 

Estelle picked up a violin and bow, letting the instrument settle in the crook of her neck as she tuned the strings. “Now then… Let me take my own turn.” 

The moment the bow glided across the strings for the first time, I was enraptured. Like me, Estelle had chosen a slow song, but it was definitely more intense, darker in a way. Like there was something more behind the melody. And after a few measures, Estelle began to sing. It wasn’t true singing, with organized vocals, but more like a wordless tune, letting her voice synchronize with the song in a way that left me spellbound.

It had to be a few minutes later when Estelle finally brought the song to an end and lowered the violin. She smiled at us as she opened her eyes, having closed them at some point that I hadn’t noticed. “Well… What did you think?” she asked.

I had to shake myself out of my stupor to be able to answer. “W-what did I… What did I think? Estelle, that was incredible, what the heck!?”

“Th-that was… That was beautiful!” Soaryn agreed, sounding just as awestruck. “H-how long have you been playing?”

Estelle’s cheeks colored faintly. “I believe I first got into the violin when I was… eight, I think,” she explained. “Though I did not become as passionate about playing until Sora and Oscar overheard me playing it one afternoon and encouraged me to focus on my talents more.” Whoever these Sora and Oscar were, I owed them a huge thanks…

“T-talented you are!” Soaryn praised. “S-so, um… I-I guess we can move on now, right?”

I spun and looked at the blue-haired girl. “W-wait, did you not want to play, Soaryn? I'm sure you're probably really good too!” She was pretty clearly trying to dodge, but I wanted to hear her play…

“Indeed,” Estelle said. “I don't wish to pressure you, Soaryn. If you want us to move on, we can. But if you're simply nervous about our reactions, I can promise you that we'll be nothing but encouraging.”

Soaryn sighed softly before giving us both a slow, nervous nod. She walked toward the harp in the corner of the room and sat down on the stool next to it.

I made sure to give her a reassuring smile. “You’ve got this, Soaryn!” I cheered.

Soaryn took a deep breath and placed her fingers on the strings… And just like before, I found myself mesmerized. The song was soft, almost ballad-like, and I recognized the major key immediately. Much lighter than Estelle’s song, but no less beautiful for it. Soaryn began to hum along with the song, which only added to the tune. I found myself tapping along with my fingers atop the piano, not pressing the keys so as to not interrupt.

As Soaryn brought the song to a close, she moved her hands back to the lap. They were visibly shaking, so I made sure to give her another bright, beaming smile. 

Estelle did much the same. “Please know that I say this with the utmost sincerity, Soaryn. That was absolutely beautiful.”

I nodded immediately. “Agreed. That was amazing, Soaryn!”

Soaryn’s face went bright red at the compliments, and I had to bite back a squeal at how cute it made her look. “U-um… You, um… R-really, um…” She let out a sigh before taking a calming breath. “Thank you both…”

“Of course! You really undersold yourself, Soaryn,” I told her earnestly. “That was magical!”

“I do believe this is what they call the pot telling the kettle that they're black, Violette~” Estelle teased, making me blush and causing her to chuckle. “Still, she is correct. You have a wonderful talent, Soaryn. Now, was there anywhere you wanted to go, perhaps?”

Amy Kunich

Beacon Academy- Hallways

15 December 80 AGW

I sighed quietly as I wandered the hallways, trying to keep my head down and avoid any more encounters like the one outside the music room. It was best if I just made myself scarce, at this point. I’d thought I could maybe clear my head if I played some music, and Taylor had given me the directions to Beacon’s music room so I could do that, but it hadn’t helped much at all. I still found myself haunted by my mistakes.

‘Hah. Mistakes. Great way to remove any culpability, Amy,’ I muttered internally. Mistakes. As if I hadn’t murdered thirty seven people…

“I thought you promised that you wouldn’t beat yourself up over what happened?” Cress prodded gently in my mind. “You know that you were in an altered state of mind when you were under Moss’s Semblance.”

‘Yeah, well, is it beating myself up if it’s the truth?’ I shot back. ‘I have to take responsibility for what happened.’

“There’s a difference between taking responsibility and making a martyr out of yourself,” Cress replied patiently. “One is healthy, and the other is not. You are veering far more towards the latter.”

‘Fine. I’ll bring it up with Professor Goodwitch…’ I conceded. One of the conditions of my “probation” had been weekly sessions with her to see how I was adjusting, and they’d been upped to twice-weekly after the professor had insisted that I wasn’t developing healthy coping mechanisms. As if I could find a healthy coping mechanism for the shitshow that was my life these days…

I was so caught up in my own head that I nearly walked directly into Emily as she came the other way, only catching myself at the last moment. “O-oh, um… H-hello, Emily,” I mumbled out, trying to look just about anywhere except at her. Being around her was hard, and not just because she was clearly nowhere close to forgiving me for attacking Kana and Taylor. She looked so much like Emily Bravell, and it just made me miss my home and my old friends even more now that I wasn’t so caught up in trying to be “strong” after Tyler’s death…

Emily gave me an unamused look, crossing her arms and generally maintaining a hostile posture towards me. “Kunich,” she acknowledged. She was the only one who still insisted on calling me by my last name, but I understood. Taylor had mentioned that her sister had been in love with Amy Kallian, and hadn’t had the chance to say so before she’d died. So I could understand if she wanted to keep “Amy” in her mind as the girl she’d loved…

“That doesn’t excuse her acting callously towards you,” Cress grumped even as I elected to ignore her.

“Did you need something?” Emily asked impatiently, tapping her foot against the floor.

“O-oh, uh, no, sorry!” I immediately apologized, keeping my head down. “S-sorry for almost bumping into you. I was a bit lost in my own head…”

Emily just sighed and stepped past me. “Pay more attention. And don’t go doing anything stupid,” she added as she continued on down the hallway.

I glanced back over my shoulder as she walked away. I really did want to apologize to her for a lot more than just that… But she still didn’t want to hear it. I understood, of course; I’d nearly killed her sister and her best friend, after all. She wasn’t obligated to hear my apology, much less accept it. 

Cress just sighed inside my head. “Let’s just… go see Professor Goodwitch.” That sounded like a good idea to me.

Kana Brightwing

Beacon Academy- BREK Dorm

17 December 80 AGW

I sighed in relief as I finally made it back to the dorm after my latest physical therapy appointment. Tay had been lying on her bed, fiddling with something on her Scroll, but as soon as she saw me, she scrambled to her feet, giving me a hopeful look. “Well?” she asked.

I smiled. “Docs have cleared me to be walking under my own power.”

I was almost immediately pulled into a tight hug, my girlfriend being careful to avoid the spot where I’d gotten stabbed. “Hahaha, yes! That’s amazing, Kay!” she cheered. “I’m so damn happy for you!”

I couldn’t help but giggle a little at my girlfriend’s exuberance as I returned the hug. “Thanks, Tay. Couldn’t have done it without you pushing me,” I told her sincerely. Tay had been right by my side at every single PT appointment so far, encouraging me even before I could properly feel my legs again. Her neverending optimism had been a big factor in my push to recover.

“Still, back on your feet after only a month? That’s incredible progress, Kay,” Tay said as she broke the hug, giving me a kiss on the cheek as she did. “Even with Aura, you went from paraplegic to walking again so fast!”

I smiled and nodded. “The therapist said I’d probably be cleared for combat again around New Year’s, so long as I keep up my exercises.”

“I’ll make sure to nag you about that, then,” Tay teased as she led us over to her bed. “I want you back at my side again, babe.”

We sat down, and I let my head rest against Tay’s shoulder as I took in her warmth. There was this aura around Tay, pun not intended, that always felt like a fresh spring breeze. I’d started noticing it recently, so I wasn’t sure if it was an effect of her having unlocked her Awakening or if I’d just never realized it until now, but either way, it was so soothing to just let myself relax against her.

“I’m looking forward to it, too,” I agreed. “I’ve missed our spars. Feels like I have all of this energy inside me and nothing to do with it yet.”

Tay chuckled softly as she reached up to gently thread her fingers through my hair. “I can definitely understand that much. I can’t imagine sitting still for a day, let alone the two weeks it took you to even get on crutches…”

“Wasn’t fun, yeah,” I said quietly. “But… No more wheelchair, no more crutches. I can walk right alongside you again~” I turned and gave my girlfriend a quick kiss, which made her cheeks light up wonderfully.

“You’ll probably still want to take it easy around Mistral, though,” Tay cautioned as she tried to get her blush under control. “That many stairs might aggravate something.”

“You’re just looking for an excuse to princess carry me again, aren’t you?” I teased, poking her cheek.

Tay rolled her eyes playfully. “Maybe~” Her expression turned a bit more serious. “...Speaking of Mistral, though… Have you made a decision yet?”

I sighed and let my gaze fall down to my hands. “I… I think I’d be okay with it, Tay. I haven’t fully been able to forgive her yet, but I’m not scared of her anymore. And you’re right–no one should have to be all alone on Yule.” We’d been back and forth on whether we would bring Amy along with us to Mistral when we went to visit Master Lianna for Yule and New Year’s. And after three weeks of being around her, Amy just… didn’t scare me anymore. It was hard to feel anything but pity for her, honestly. She almost constantly looked like she was walking on eggshells around everyone except Taylor and Ember, and even then, I could see the regret in her expression. She looked more like a beaten puppy than the angry killer I’d fought at the Camp.

“Honestly,” I continued, “I’m more concerned about Em than me… She’s still being so… cold towards her.”

Tay let out her own sigh. “I know. I’m gonna talk with her about it. But I’m about 95% sure Em can be civil for the sake of the holiday. She’s just… She’s dealing with something, even if she won’t tell me what…” 

I let myself lean against her shoulder again. “If you’re sure, Tay… I’m just worried about her, is all.”

“I am, too. But for now, we can just arrange things to make her a bit more comfortable. I figure that Em and Roark are gonna want to share a guest room anyway now that they’re together, so we can just give Amy her own room at Lianna’s.”

It took me a moment to realize what exactly Tay meant by that, and I looked up at her as I felt my cheeks warm. “Are… Are you suggesting that… That we’d be sharing my room, then?” I asked.

Tay chuckled. “I mean… If you’re not comfortable with that, I can share a room with Amy, then.” She glanced down at me. “Shit, sorry, was that too presumptive of me?”

I shook my head softly. “N-no, no. Not at all. Just… We’d just be sleeping, right?” I clarified. I loved Tay to death, but I was not ready to do… that just yet.

Tay’s eyes went wide. “Wh-wha… O-of course, Kay! I swear, that’s what I meant!” she stammered out. “Fuck, I swear I wasn’t trying to pressure you into anything, I-I just figured you’d want me close by, and–”

I cut her off with a finger on her lips. “Tay, please. It’s okay. I figured that was what you meant.” Once it looked like my girlfriend had calmed down a bit more, I removed my finger. “I just… wanted to be sure. I really do love you, but I’m… I’m nowhere near ready enough to do… that kind of stuff.”

Tay nodded immediately. “Of course, Kay. I totally get it. And even if we were ready to do that kind of thing, I’m not gonna be doing that in your childhood bedroom at your guardian’s house.” She laughed awkwardly, trying to play it off. “That’d just be rude to Lianna.”

I sighed in relief. “O-okay. Good. Just… making sure, that’s all…” There was a small part of me that felt guilty at not being ready to push our relationship to that level yet, especially given the other topic that had been on my mind as of late… But I just was still too shy to even think about it. 

“...Did… Did you and Kallian…?” I asked quietly after a few seconds of silence.

Tay shook her head. “Certainly wouldn’t have been unusual for kids our age back home, but… no, we didn’t. Furthest she and I ever really got was some clothed groping while making out. I had too much dysphoria at the time to really be comfortable around her naked…”

I let one of my hands slip into hers, squeezing gently in affirmation. “W-well… I hope you know I think you’re gorgeous, so…”

Tay smiled and let her head rest on mine. “Thanks, Kay. I appreciate it.”

We stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other’s presence, before I finally worked up the nerve to ask what I’d been planning on asking as soon as I was cleared by the therapist. “...So, Tay…” I started, my voice still low. “I-I know that… I know that we’ve only been dating a couple months, but…”

“But?” Tay prompted once I trailed off, not moving away.

“But last month… It really scared me,” I admitted. “You nearly died. I was so close to losing you… A-and, well… It got me thinking.” I waited for the usual quip of that being a “dangerous activity,” but a glance out of the corner of my eye showed me that Tay was listening intently. “A-and beyond that… When I’m with you, I always feel this… connection to you, deep in my Heart. Like you complete me in a way that I can’t really explain. I’ve always felt close to you, even before I really started noticing my crush. And…” 

I took a deep breath. “And it makes me want to spend the rest of my life with you. So…” I slipped out from under Tay’s head and met her eyes. “Tay, I… I want to give you a Mate’s Mark.”

Tay’s eyes went wide as she processed what I was asking. “I-I… You… You want to…” She stumbled over her words for a moment. “You want to give me a Mark? Are… Are you sure, Kay?”

I nodded. “I’ve been thinking it over for the past… week and a half, at least, I think. I trust you completely, Tay, and I know that I love you and cherish you. I want to make you my Mate, if… If you’ll have me.”

Tay sucked in a breath. “I… O-of course, Kana. I would be honored to be your Mate.” She gave me a serene smile and lowered her head until her forehead was pressed against mine. “I just… I want you to be sure here. I love you just as much, and the idea of spending the rest of my life with you… It makes me giddy just imagining it. But this is a big step.”

“I’m sure, Tay,” I affirmed quietly. “There’s not a doubt in my mind.”

“...Okay. Then I’d be happy to have your Mark, whatever it may end up being,” Tay replied. “We’ll have to talk to someone about getting you your own Mark, too. Probably Velvet.” Oh, right. We needed another Faunus to bite me so that Tay could make the Marks reciprocal. “Think you can talk to her about that, babe? I get the feeling she’d come find you to grill you about it if I asked anyway.”

I giggled in pure elation. “Sure thing, sunshine. I’ll track her down tomorrow.”

Ilia Amitola

Vacuo- White Fang Camp

17 December 80 AGW

I hadn’t really appreciated that there was a difference in types of sand until I’d come to Vacuo. On the few instances where I’d been able to visit Menagerie with some semblance of free time, I’d always enjoyed finding a quiet stretch of beach somewhere along the coast to gather my thoughts. The sand near Kuo Kuana was bright, soft, and fine, likely as a result of the waves rolling in. Vacuo’s desert sand, on the other hand, was coarse, gritty, and a dark almost red color. It was an absolute pain in the ass whenever it got in anything, especially if that something was my damned bodysuit.

We’d been out here for nearly a month, and I still had no idea why. ‘Like you’ve known the why at all these past few months,’ I mused bitterly to myself. Why had Adam started gathering Grimm? Why had he been (apparently) at the beck and call of a human? Why had he had the Vale Chapter attack Beacon’s training camp? Why had Sienna called us all traitors to the cause? 

And of course, the one question that had never strayed far from my mind for the past year. Why had Blake left? Blake had been so devoted to the cause. She’d been on the front lines for so long, even defying her parents to continue with the Fang after Sienna had taken over. And yet, she’d just up and vanished last September. Why had she left us? Why had she left me?

I sat alone in my tent, pondering those questions, even as the sun dipped below the dune-filled horizon. I knew the answers to at least a couple of them. Adam had collected Grimm to set them loose on the Beacon students. Which apparently included Blake. Whom Adam wanted dead now for her betrayal. And Sienna had labeled us all traitors for that exact attack. I couldn’t blame her; attacking Beacon’s camp had been a step too far for a sizable portion of the Vale Chapter, and they’d immediately dropped off the grid while we were en route to Vacuo. I was starting to wish I’d joined them. Adam was growing more and more unhinged by the day, and it seemed like all he could focus on was making Blake hurt.

‘Is this why you left, Blake?’ I wondered quietly. ‘Did you see this side of him?’ But if it was just Adam, why had she left the Fang altogether? And why couldn’t she have taken me with her?

‘Why couldn’t you have chosen me for once?’