Chapter-8

"Ren!" Jaune desperately dug through the rubble, his fingers numb to the pain. "Nora!"

The only light came from his scroll, illuminating the narrow tunnel. Debris littered the floor and blocked the way, the roof collapsed in a cascade of stone. Beyond, he could hear the howls of Grimm and the faint, cracking echo of Storm Flower. The stone shifted, more rocks tumbling from above, forcing Jaune back. Dust filled his vision and clogged his nose and mouth, bringing forth hacking coughs.

He couldn't get through.

Using what dust he had in his shield would only cause an even larger cave in. It was a miracle in the first place that he hadn't been buried in the initial collapse. If not for the upgrades Atlas had provided to his armaments, he'd have been crushed.

He was trapped.

The mission truly had gone to shit.

He wasn't sure how long he walked through the dark with only his scroll for light. The narrow tunnel seemed to last an eternity, each step taking him further away from his friends. They were fighting for their lives, battling humanity's oldest enemy. He needed to get back to them.

He just didn't know how.

Eventually the tunnel opened up into a large chamber, the room bathed in the multi-colored hue of dust. Large crystals jutted from the ceiling, exposed by the long dead workers; blue, green and red, orange and yellow. Various machinery lay about in disuse having been abandoned by the Schnee Dust Company. He ran his hand over the cold metal exterior of a nearby drilling unit, fingers wiping free the dust and exposing the familiar snow flake symbol beneath.

Worry threatened to overwhelm him, his thoughts solely with his teammates. He could no longer hear their battle but he knew they must still be fighting, recalling the number of Grimm. They had been swarmed, their only saving grace the narrow confines of their battle field. Their numbers meant less when they had to funnel in to attack, allowing Nora's great cleaving swings maximum efficiency.

Checking his scroll yielded only disappointment. The signal down here was nonexistent. Even the short wave frequency they used in battle for coordination held nothing but crackling silence, unable to penetrate the thick rock and dust-laden stone.

A search revealed two separate paths, a pair of rail tracks running down each. He was clearly in some type of central location where miners gathered their haul for transport, but which path led deeper into the earth, and which was the road to freedom? He had no way of knowing, not without finding some sort of map. Surely there wasn't just one way down? There had to be escape routes – something, anything to allow workers to resurface in the event of a Grimm attack or cave in.

"Damn it," he swore.

He had a decision to make and he had to make it quickly.

Jaune spun around as something scuttled behind him, the light of his scroll reflecting off the bone white carapace of the advancing Grimm. It was small, insectoid in appearance, its red eyes gleaming in the dark as it lunged with a shriek. Its mouth opened wide, unfurling to reveal long pointed fangs laced with venom. Crocea Mors sliced through it like air, vile blood splashing across his face as it tumbled to the ground in two pieces.

But it was too late – the shriek had alerted its brethren, or perhaps they had been coming anyway, drawn by his negativity. They swarmed into the chamber, more insectoid Grimm, crawling up the walls and across the ceiling, coming straight for him across the floor. The twin moons on his shield ignited bright red, a stream of fire blasting out in a cone of hellish death. Several of the Grimm howled as they were engulfed, reduced to cinders in a matter of moments.

Dozens more died the same way, bathed in an inferno. Each flare of fire revealed more of the room and more of what he faced; a sea of malicious red eyes, and clicking, drooling mandibles. They come for him in all directions, his sword lashing out in quick, practiced strikes. He remembered his teachings, her voice flowing through his mind like a song. Keeping his breath steady, he moved like in dance, his footwork an old friend on lonely nights, the dying screams of Grimm his salvation.

"Never give in to panic," Pyrrha whispered in his ear as he lashed out with his shield, slamming several of them away with gravity dust. "Once you lose your way, you may never find it again until it is too late. Stay calm and focus on your goal. What is it that you want to do?"

Kill every single Grimm in sight.

Each howling cry brought him closer to that goal, so he kept moving. His arm was like iron, muscles screaming as he swung again and again. His aura flared as one of them swiped at his leg, his boot lashing out with amplified strength. It crunched under the blunt force, sailing across the room. Dropping one of his deployable shield units, the hard-light dust sprung to life, defending his rear.

He moved like a machine, killing everything in his way. He cycled through dust, freezing them with ice, electrocuting them with lightning, turning them back with howling gusts of wind. Coiling black smoke filled the chamber as his kills disintegrated, filling the air with a dark mist.

He thought he could see the end in sight, the waves slowing. His body burned from the constant fighting, his boots scrambling across the uneven floor, his lungs fit to burst. But then the ground trembled, and larger Grimm poured forth in the tens of dozens.

Fear filled his heart. Fear that he ruthlessly crushed.

"Fear is the enemy you must conquer first," Pyrrha's voice caressed him, pushing him forward. "Do not be fearless, for that is to be reckless. Control your fear, acknowledge it, understand it – and defeat it!"

He could see her in his mind's eye, her form flawless as she moved like flowing water. Her bronze sword cut the very air with its sharpness, her shield humming as she spun. Crimson locks flowed behind her like a waterfall, her circlet blazing like the sun. Emerald green eyes held nothing but surety in their conviction, unknowing loss and welcoming challenge. They invited compassion and love, loyalty and respect.

She was the best of them. Their champion. The Invincible Girl. And he needed to channel that now, to harness every little piece of herself she had left behind. She was his shield, she was his sword – together, they would lay low their enemies. Together, they would fight as one.

The Sabyr's roared, their massive tusks menacing as they charged. He took the offensive, dashing straight at the nearest group, closing the distance in a matter of moments. Slamming the first one aside with his shield, he spun with the momentum, cleaving through the neck of the next. Claws lashed out, missing by a hair's breadth. Fire ignited once more, howls deafening as they were reduced to smoking ruins.

"Guhk~!" Jaune grunted as a massive form slammed into his side, nearly taking him down. Shifting his weight, he slammed the Sabyr down and impaled it through the heart, wrenching the blade free to behead its friend, snapping jaws only inches from his throat.

He remained on the move, unable to stop. His legs felt like lead, yet he forced them to obey, to follow that well memorized dance. Sword met bone, sparks singing as he retreated. Blood flowed through the air like ribbons, scorching hot and vile, flesh cleaving under the razor sharp edge of his blade. His shield protected him, blunting their desperate attempts, blasting them back to create space.

On this went, constantly on the move, fighting for his survival – but he knew, in his heart, he could not sustain it. Little by little, his aura was chipped away. They gave him no time to replenish it with his semblance, a never ceasing tide of malice. No matter how much, he would soon run out.

Crocea Mors clattered to the ground, the sound piercing amidst the salivating growls of dozens of Grimm. Jaune felt his heart freeze.

"Jaune!"

He jolted awake at once, eyes snapping open in alarm. An unfamiliar ceiling greeted him, though a very familiar face calmed his racing heart. Neon peered at him in concern, a thin sheet wrapped around her body for modesty's sake. Pointless as it may have been, for he had seen everything there was to see with her. It took a moment for Jaune to remember just where he was.

The hotel room.

"Are you okay?" Neon asked.

His mouth felt dry, head pounding with a dull ache. He wasn't sure if it was from the dream or if it was just a hangover. Rubbing at his eyes, he glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly midday. Unsurprising – they hadn't slept until the sun began its ascent over the horizon.

"Fine," he croaked, clearing his throat. "Fine, sorry – uh, bad dream?"

Though it wasn't a dream, he realized. That had been a memory. It had returned to him at last, or at least partially. He had been attacked by Grimm. He had fought them, tooth and nail and then... he had lost? He remembered the sound of his sword clattering to the ground, the calling card of his defeat. And yet...

He still lived. Why was he still alive?

He had been surrounded, outnumbered. The Grimm had been vicious, craving his flesh. So why did he still breathe? He couldn't have fought them off with nothing but his shield – could he? It was odd. Finding more pieces of the puzzle only confused him further.

"You sounded like you were in pain," Neon admitted, worry in her tone. "I wanted to let you sleep longer but – well, I couldn't leave you like that."

"Thanks," he said, giving her a smile. "Yeah, it wasn't pleasant."

She gave a tentative smile in return.

The night's events came rushing back to him; her slender, soft body writing underneath him. Her cute face twisted in rapture. The feel of her, so wet and tight and hot, undulating around his thrusting shaft. He had fucked her once, twice, countless times. In as many different ways he could think of, and some he didn't even know existed. He had spent his lust in her, again and again.

And again without a condom. He sighed.

This was a bad habit he was starting to form.

The room stank of sex, the bed damp from sweat and other bodily fluids. Giving his arm pit a quick sniff, he recoiled. Neon giggled.

"Shower?" she asked coyly, dropping the sheet.

They spent much longer under the soothing spray as they should have, though surprisingly they didn't have sex. Instead she washed him, scrubbing at his pits, his arms and legs, at his back. In return, he did the same, rubbing her down, across her tender breasts and aching crotch, and helping to wash her long hair. It was intimate and arousing, his cock even standing to attention despite how sore and sensitive it was, yet they did nothing but wash and embrace.

It was nice.

Afterwards, when they knocked on the door to the room Yang and Blake shared, there was no answer. Thinking they had already left some time in the morning, it was with some surprise that they found Blake sitting in the lobby, all alone. One look at her face and Jaune knew she was suffering for her indulgence the night before. Eyes bloodshot, cat ears tucked close to her head and skin far paler than usual she lacked all of her typical effortless beauty and resembled a breathing corpse.

"Morning," she muttered without emotion, uncaring that it was past noon.

"Sheesh, you look like you haven't slept a wink," Neon leaned in to get a better look. "You okay there, girl?"

"No," Blake deadpanned. "I'm dying."

"Ignore her," Yang called as she entered from the street. She was clutching two coffees in hand, looking much more chipper than her partner. Even so, even Yang didn't look quite her usual self, bags a mile wide under her eyes. "She spent the whole night throwing up. Kept me up, as well. Not just the sound – I had to make sure she didn't pass out in the toilet and drown in her own vomit."

"Mm," Blake grunted, ignoring the offered coffee. Shrugging, Yang held it out for Neon who took it with pleasure.

"I guess we did overdo it a bit," Jaune admitted. He gave Blake's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, surprised when she nuzzled his hand. "My head feels like it got stomped on by a Goliath."

The shower had done wonders for his headache, the steam clearing away any drowsiness, but the pressure was still there, even if reduced. He wouldn't be doing any more drinking for the foreseeable future. He really wasn't a fan of the aftermath.

Yang laughed. "You guys are a riot. Look at what us seasoned girls have to put up with, huh?" she shared a fist bump with Neon.

"You threw up out the window," Blake landed a critical strike. "Don't think I didn't hear you."

Yang spluttered denials while Neon giggled. Jaune grimaced. That was really gross. He prayed no one on the street had been hit.

"We should probably head back. Have you guys heard from anyone?"

Blake nodded weakly. "Ruby called earlier. She was worried because we never came back but you must have messaged Ren at some point. He was able to calm her down and let her know we were staying out for the night." She seemed exhausted after saying that, slumping further in her seat.

Had he messaged Ren? He honestly couldn't remember.

"C'mon then," he said, reaching for her. "Up you get."

Jaune helped Blake to her feet, supporting her around the waist as they handed in their keycards. The clerk was a different woman, yet she had the same bored expression on her face as the one when they checked in.

"Thank you for staying at the Solitas Star Hotel," she supplied with the most monotone voice in existence. "Hope to see you again."

The trip back to the academy was rough. While they didn't have to take an airship, they still needed to take a taxi across the city and then use an elevator to access the main section of the school. Normally they would have walked the entire way but they were in no condition for such an undertaking. Blake spent the entire ride with her head cradled between her knees, taking slow, deep breaths to calm her queasy stomach. Jaune had nothing but sympathy for the girl, having suffered motion sickness throughout his childhood. The elevator was worse; while Blake moaned pathetically on the ground, Jaune felt his own stomach begin to twist as weightless sensation gripped him as they ascended. By the looks on the faces of Yang and Neon, he wasn't alone. They weren't quite so unaffected after all.

They really were a sorry bunch.

Ruby, Weiss and Penny met them just outside the school.

"You look terrible," Weiss said bluntly.

"Same," Yang returned with a bit of snark. "How'd the little girls sleepover go?"

While Weiss bristled at the remark, Penny clasped her hands together and bounced on the balls of her feet. "Oh, it was wonderful! The movies were very informative! I learned so much about the complex dating rituals that hum—that people perform in pursuit of a suitable mate! It was very confusing at first but Weiss was kind enough to explain and answer any questions I had. She is very experienced in love! I am happy to say that I am now romance ready thanks to her."

Penny nodded proudly.

"Experienced in love, huh?" Yang smirked.

"Shut your mouth right now, Yang Xiao Long," Weiss ordered briskly, her cheeks flushing a healthy rose. "Penny, you were meant to keep that a secret!"

"I was?" Penny looked genuinely perplexed. "I apologize, I did not know."

"So tell me," Yang sidled up to her teammate and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Weiss tried to shrug her off but it was no use. Yang was just too strong. "This experience – care to share?"

"Hey Ruby," Jaune greeted as Weiss attempted to squirm away. "Sounds like you guys had fun."

"Looks like you guys did, as well," she replied with a grin, looking between Jaune and Blake. They were still attached at the hip, so to speak. "Or maybe not? It's hard to tell."

"We may have, uh – over indulged," Jaune laughed awkwardly. "Just a little."

"Just a little, huh?"

"No missions for a week," Blake ordered. "Just sleep."

Jaune shrugged. "That honestly sounds like a great idea. I'm all for it."

As they approached their rooms, it was Neon's time to leave. While Blake was helped into her bed by Ruby, the younger girl fussing over her like a mother hen, Jaune walked Neon further down the hall for a little privacy.

"Soooooo," she began, hands clasped behind her back. "I had a lot of fun."

Jaune smiled. "Yeah. So did I. It's been way too long since I went dancing. I didn't know I missed it so much until we got stuck into it."

Neon eyed him. "I wasn't talking about that."

"Yeah, I know."

They both laughed.

"Seriously, though," she squeezed his arm. "That was – well, great. Mind blowing. You fucked my brains out, dude. I can barely walk."

"I did notice a bit of a limp."

"Haha, yeah – you're a real stud, aren't ya?" Neon shook her head ruefully. "You really can't judge a book by its cover."

He wasn't sure if that was an insult, a compliment or both. "Yeah, I guess not."

"So we're cool, right?" she shuffled back and forth, nervous. "Like, you aren't in love with me or anything? This is just casual, you know? I'm not really looking to be tied down."

Why did it feel like he was being dumped even though they weren't together? Not that he was looking for a relationship, it was just Neon had always been the aggressor. He was just going along for the ride. "Yeah, we're cool. I know where we stand."

"Sweet, nice – I mean, you know. Some other guys I've been with, they get all weird about things after sex," she shrugged. "Like attached or something? I didn't want to string you along or anything. You're a really cool dude. I didn't want it to turn out bad because you caught feelings."

"So you haven't caught feelings, then?"

Neon made a face. "Pfft, me? Whatever. Like I said, I'm not looking to be tied down."

Since they were talking about it, he saw no better time to ask. "So you're on birth control, right? I mean, I think I just tried to impregnate you like six times. We aren't going to have a little surprise or something, yeah?"

Neon looked horrified. "Urgh, man, don't even say that. Yes, yes," she said hastily at his look. "Of course I am. Yeah, that is not something I am ready for. At all ."

"Good, good. Because I sure as hell wasn't thinking about it last night. I'm glad you've got it covered."

Without warning, she stepped forward and gave him a hug. His arms folded around her easily, embracing her small body to his.

"Can I ask you something?" her voice was muffled partially by his shirt.

"Yeah, sure."

There was a moment of hesitation. "Are you – look, don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to make things messy or anything, but do you have something going on with Yang?"

Jaune blinked.

"What?"

She leaned back, still in his arms, but far enough that they could look each other in the eye. He almost laughed but the serious expression on her face killed any mirth that sprung up upon her question.

"You and Yang – are you guys banging?"

Jaune stared at her. Neon stared back.

"No," he finally said, bewildered. "No, we aren't. We're just friends. Why? Did someone say something?"

She shook her head. "No one said anything. Last night, on the dance floor – I thought maybe she was staking her claim or something. Then Blake came over – are you banging her ?"

"No," he answered firmly. "You're the only one I'm banging."

Banged, not banging? There was no guarantee it would happen again. They'd only banged once – well, like six in one? Jaune frowned. Then there was Cerise, but she had been before Neon, though after that time in the shower. Was he turning into a man whore? He couldn't even figure out what to describe this all as. It wasn't like he was intentionally lying there, he just didn't think Cerise counted in the context of the conversation they were having.

"Listen, last night – I don't know what that was. She just sort of went with the flow, I guess? We've only ever been friends. As for Blake, well – your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they just had too much to drink," he shrugged. "Things got a little heated out there, maybe they did some stuff they didn't really mean. Got lost in the moment. Things have been a little stressful lately. That can happen sometimes, yeah?"

Neon nodded slowly, breaking down under his earnest look. "Yeah, listen – sorry, I wasn't trying to start something. I just thought that maybe you had a thing with Yang and then you were playing around with me, I didn't want to be that girl , you know? This was just meant to be a bit of fun. I don't want to be stealing a friend's guy. I'm not a bitch."

Jaune sighed. "Yeah, I get it."

Neon gave him another quick hug. "Sorry for being such a downer. I really had a great time. And maybe we could hook up again? You know, if you want." She was really trying to not sound eager.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

He wouldn't say no to that. The sex had been great, though as he watched her leave he couldn't help but run that conversation over in his mind again. Something about it just didn't sit right. Like she was leaving something out, hiding something that perhaps should have been plainly obvious.

Had she been jealous of Yang?

There was no way, right? She said it – this was just a casual thing, a bit of fun. She didn't want him catching any feelings and she didn't have any of her own. She was just worried about stepping on some toes. That wasn't the kind of drama people wanted in their lives, not if they were sane. But he couldn't shake the feeling that Yang's actions had awoken something in Neon. If not jealousy then maybe just a competitive streak, something only girls would understand.

Jaune sighed.

Since when did he ever have girl issues like this? At least he knew that when it came to Yang, there was nothing there. They were friends. They'd been through a lot together, they all had, but he was pretty sure she and Blake were becoming a lot closer. The two were practically joined at the hip these days. As much as he thought she was sexy as hell and would love the attention of such an amazing girl, her affections lay elsewhere. The same went for Blake.

The dancing had just been a spur of the moment thing. That was all.

Weiss was waiting for him when he returned down the hall, leaning against the doorframe of Team RWBY's room. When she saw him approach, she straightened up, looking as majestic as always. He really couldn't fathom how she always kept such an impeccable look but he certainly appreciated the effort. She really was one of the most beautiful women in the world.

"Hey Weiss," he greeted. "What's up?"

"Jaune," she looked him up and down, her tone contrite. "I apologize for holding you up. You must be exhausted."

He supposed he looked pretty wrecked. He could hear his bed calling for him. "No problem. Did you need something?"

"My sister has offered to train with us tomorrow," she revealed. While she did her best not to show it, Jaune could tell that she was very excited at the prospect. It was no secret that Weiss admired her sister tremendously. "I was hoping that you could join us, seeing as it is a great opportunity. Ren and Nora are welcome, of course."

A personal lesson with Winter Schnee? Along with the Ace-Ops, she was among the best Atlas had to offer. He would have to be crazy to turn down such an offer.

"Yeah, that sounds great," he replied. "I've always wanted to see your sister in action. If she is anything like you, it'll be an amazing experience."

Weiss flushed lightly at the praise, dipping her head at the compliment. "You will not be disappointed, I assure you."