Alright, so before we dive into this, I thought I'd give you some background on how things are different in this AU. The Battle of Beacon goes much, MUCH better for our heroes.

Things that are the same: Pyrrha and Penny die, the Arkos kiss happens, Ruby unleashes the Silver Eyes.

Things that are different: Beacon survives, Ozpin is alive, Roman is alive but stays far away from Salem and the rest, Yang doesn't get disarmed, Blake doesn't run, Weiss isn't whisked away to Atlas.

Which reminds me. My fic To Comfort A Weary Knight is canon to this, so if you haven't read it, I'll summarize it here.

Jaune obviously was in bad shape, and Weiss rescued him from himself. Partially because of a video message from Pyrrha, and partially because she starts seeing Jaune for who he really is, Weiss starts to fall for him... which Jacques Schnee catches wind of during a Scroll call with Weiss. Weiss reveals that her father intends to test Jaune to see if he's worthy of her. (In Jacques's opinion anyways) Weiss puts Jaune through some intensive training to prepare for his duel with Jacques, and also finds a way to keep her father from meddling further in her love life via rules regarding arranged marriages in Atlas that protect people that actually fall in love. (The rule that protects her and Jaune is called Protection of the Star Crossed Lovers, which is for when someone of the upper class falls in love with someone of the lower class) The night before Jacques arrives, Jaune and Weiss confess their feelings for each other and share their first kiss. Jacques arrives, and despite all odds, and by nothing but willpower and luck, Jaune triumphs over Jacques. Later Ozpin lets the cat out of the bag to teams RWBY and JNR, about the maidens, the relics, and Salem. Which Jaune takes... reasonably well. For now.

Enough of my rambling, on to the story!

Chapter 1: Machinations and Resolutions

(Evernight Castle, 2 weeks before the next term at Beacon)

Arthur Watts fidgeted awkwardly in his seat. The attack on Beacon had largely failed. The Relic of Choice was still safely hidden away, public opinion of Atlas was more or less was the same, and the CCT at Beacon was still perfectly functional.

The only real success was the fact that Cinder had truly become the Fall Maiden. Even then...

Cinder was a mess. Left side of her face covered in scars, left arm completely gone... it was only because of Watts's medical training that Cinder was even alive.

Salem was... no, angry wasn't the right word. Too normal. Salem was vexed.

"Tell me," Salem all but purred, "How did things go so wrong?"

"It's not my fault," Watts defended, "My virus worked perfectly."

Salem waved him off dismissively, "That is not my concern, Watts. How did the Hunters know where to deploy to perfectly intercept the White Fang and the Grimm?"

"Blake..." Adam growled.

"Who?" Salem asked.

"A traitor. She knows our strategies, she must have given Ozpin everything."

Watts was already tapping away on his custom Scroll to uncover who exactly this "Blake" was. Meanwhile, Salem's attention turned to Cinder.

"Cinder, why is Ozpin not dead?" Salem asked.

Cinder leaned over to Emerald to whisper in her ear. It was all her scorched vocal cords could handle at the moment.

"Ah, she says that the vault had started to collapse and had buried him. She assumed that he was dead as a result." Emerald reported.

A maniacal laugh echoed around the room. It was Tyrian, of course. "Sloppy, sloppy! Cinder, I thought you were better than that!"

"Shut up, freak!" Mercury yelled, "She had other things to-"

"Enough." Salem said. "We need to run Ozpin and his guardians in training ragged and cripple them at the same time... Adam, does the Valean White Fang still accept you as their leader?"

"Yes, they do. It's getting to the point where they consider themselves the true White Fang, and want me to... encourage Sienna Khan to embrace early retirement." Adam explained.

"Hold off on that for now." Salem ordered gently, "You are to direct the White Fang to continue as they were before the Breach, with one change."

There was silence. Then Salem smiled in a way that still unnerved Watts to this day.

It was almost motherly.

Salem continued. "You will direct them to destroy, rather than steal. Destroy the stores, the shipments, all of it. This will deprive the Hunters of Vale the tools they need to keep fighting, and they will undoubtedly call on Ozpin for support. We will run his students ragged, watch them drop like flies, then while Ozpin is in despair from the losses, swoop in and correct the mistakes that we made during what was supposed to be the Fall of Beacon."

Adam grinned in bloodthirsty glee, "That has a secondary benefit as well. It'll draw out the Schnee bitch."

Emerald winced. She almost regretted handing a "Who's Who at Beacon" to Salem.

Almost.

"Do as you will with her. She is of no importance. Her partner on the other hand..." Salem ruminated. "Tyrian, Watts. I have a task for the two of you."

She waited until she had their attention, then began, "Emerald, Ruby Rose is the Silver-Eyed warrior, correct?"

Emerald nodded.

Salem turned to the genius and the scorpion. "Bring her back here. Relatively unharmed. Take all the time you need."

"As you wish, my Queen!" Tyrian proclaimed.

Watts rolled his eyes, a time honored Atlesian expression of sass. "We'll get it done."

"Don't disappoint me. My patience is nearing its end." Salem kindly threatened.

Mercury stepped forward, "Uh, I know I'm the new guy here, but I've got a suggestion."

Salem cocked her head in curiousity. "By all means, Mr. Black."

"Don't call me that." Mercury bristled. "Anyways, Adam, don't start your... rampage until a month into the new semester at Beacon. Lure them into a false sense of complacency."

Adam scowled. It made sense, but it would make it that much longer until he could get his revenge. "Fine."

"Watts, Freak, the best time to snatch the runt would be after her and her team get back from a day of hanging out in Vale. She'll be dead tired. Also, keep her separated from her weapon, she's useless without it."

Watts nodded, "I'll take that under consideration, Mr... Mercury."

"You will, Watts." Salem said, "As will you, Adam."

"Fine." The bull Faunus growled.

Salem sank back into her throne. Things had gone off the rails, but soon, the hoped-for results would be achieved anyways. It was just a matter of time.

And that was something she had plenty of, now wasn't it?

(Safehouse, Vale, 1 week before the next term at Beacon)

The first thing Roman Torchwick felt when he woke up was pain.

Wait, why was he even alive?

"Neo? You there?" He called out.

He got his answer by her running through the door, a smug smirk on her face, as usual.

"Neo, I need you to answer a very important question for me." Roman asked. "What the HELL happened?"

Neo responded by shoving a Scroll at him. His scroll. Roman opened it up and noticed an icon that said Status Report. He tapped it and began to read.

Ozpin was still alive.

"Damn it."

Atlas's reputation was largely undamaged, due to a timely charitable contribution, courtesy of Jacques Schnee.

"Damn it."

Beacon Academy had survived, and had record application numbers for the new school year.

"Damn it."

So the only thing that had gone right was Cinder getting whatever power she'd been after. Suddenly a wonderful thought crossed Roman's mind.

"Neo? Cinder and her... friends... do they think I'm dead?" The conman asked.

The mischievous smirk that played across Neo's face was all the answer he needed. Roman quickly began to formulate an exit strategy. He could finally get away from the never ending stream of complete and total bull-

He was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Damn it."

He hauled himself out of bed, ow everything hurts, and made his way towards the door, making sure to check the peephole to see who was able to find the... oh no.

It was Ozpin.

Roman reluctantly keyed the intercom. "What can I do for you, Professor?"

"I am here to offer you a deal, Mr. Torchwick."

He glanced at Neo. She shrugged, the same thing going through both of their minds.

If Ozpin knows where we are, he could have just sent Atlas's finest after us. Might as well hear him out.

Roman opened the door, letting the headmaster in. Ozpin took in the room, before chuckling at something only he noticed. "Rather posh for a safehouse, isn't it, Mr. Torchwick?"

Roman snorted as he took a seat, wincing from how unbelievably sore he was. "I do have standards, Ozzy. You said you wanted to make a deal."

Ozpin sat down at the small table directly across from the career criminal. "Be my eyes and ears in the underworld. You may commit crimes as necessary to keep up appearances."

"You cannot be serious." Roman laughed, hard. "Why would I ever agree to that when me and Neo could just walk away-"

"Amnesty, for both you and your... associate." Ozpin said.

Roman whirled around to look at Neo to see what her reaction was. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and much to Roman's chagrin, she was nodding.

Vigorously.

"I don't like it." Roman said. "It puts me directly in her crosshairs when she finds out that I'm alive."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "When that time comes, you'll be protected."

Roman sighed. "Fine, I'm in, or whatever."

Ozpin was unconvinced. "So quickly? Why should I believe you?"

Roman chuckled, "You dangle amnesty in front of a man like me, you really should expect a quick agreement. I just have one condition."

Ozpin groaned. He should've expected this. "What is it?"

"I want a contact, someone I can funnel info through." Roman explained, "Someone who won't look out of place going somewhere like Junior's nightclub to meet me if necessary."

Ozpin nodded, "Yes, I believe that is possible." A wry smile spread across the headmaster's face. "With the new term, she'll be a second year student, who has recently... joined a... intensive independent study program. I believe that you're familiar with Yang Xiao Long?"

"I must have been horrifyingly cruel to puppies in a past life to deserve this." Roman muttered, his forehead dramatically impacting the table in front of him.

Ozpin rose from his seat, and tipped an imaginary hat. "A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Torchwick."

"Neo?" Roman asked, "Contact Junior, the stealthy way. I need to know what's been going on while I've been out."

As Neapolitan made to leave, Roman asked another question. "Neo? Where the hell is my hat?"

(Schnee Manor, 3 days before the next term at Beacon)

Jacques Schnee glared at the newly released press release from the SDC. He knew every word of it, he had approved it, after all. The title alone...

Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company has found love.

Jacques knew why he hated Jaune. It wasn't because the boy had made it impossible to marry Weiss off to form a business alliance of some sort, Jacques could live without that.

It was because the boy reminded Jacques of everything that he once was, of everything he had given up to get to where he was now.

Jacques wouldn't say that he regretted the things he'd done. The lies, the double-crosses, the backroom deals, and of course, his greatest deception.

Convincing Willow Schnee that he loved her, and convincing Nicholas Schnee to make Jacques the CEO of the SDC upon his death.

Jacques Schnee had started from the very bottom, after all, so to say that weaseling his way from the slums of Mantle to being the head of fhe SDC was his greatest deception wasn't exactly inaccurate.

Then there was Jaune. He had started from the very bottom too. No skill to speak of in the beginning, save an innate gift for strategy that the vast majority of Hunters lacked. Unlike Jacques, every victory that Jaune won had been through hard-won skill, through effort.

And he hadn't lost himself like Jacques had.

Even with his hatred of Jaune, Jacques didn't want to subject him to the pit of vipers that was Atlesian high society, at least, not before Weiss had a chance to prepare him for it.

A knock at the door.

"Enter."

The door opened, and Weiss entered, judging by the fact that she had her combat gear on, Jacques had interrupted her in the middle of training.

"You sent for me, father?" Weiss asked, annoyance coloring her voice.

"I did," Jacques said, "The board of directors has impresssed on me the need for you and Mr. Arc to make a public appearance."

"Of course they have," Weiss grumbled. "When?"

"I managed to get it pushed back to after the upcoming semester at Beacon, so winter break." Jacques replied.

Weiss frowned in concentration, "Okay, that gives me time to prepare him for the vultures."

Jacques couldn't help but smile inwardly at that. Whatever differences of opinion that he and Weiss had on many a subject, they could agree on their opinion of the vast majority of Atlesian high society.

"Is there anything I can do to... make it easier on him?" Jacques reluctantly asked.

"Why, father," Weiss said, breaking out in a smile, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a soft spot for him."

"I don't." Jacques replied automatically, "Since my... duel, for lack of a better term, with him, I have developed a grudging respect for him."

Deciding to leave that conversation for another time, Weiss addressed her father's question, "Just make sure there's dancing, that way he'll be in his element."

Jacques raised an eyebrow. "He can dance?"

Weiss turned and left, "You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, father." She said over her shoulder, "You underestimated Jaune Arc."

(Arc Family Home, Training Yard, 2 days before the next term at Beacon)

I am never going to make fun of Weiss's joke ideas for upgrades ever again.

Jaune had originally thought that a upgrade to allow Crocea Mors to become a greatsword when the sword and sheath were combined was a silly idea.

After his father had helped him reforge Crocea Mors with the remnants of Pyrrha's equipment, and Jaune had told him about both his and Weiss's ideas for upgrades, his father broke into an uproarious belly laugh.

"Why didn't I think of that sooner?" Reign-Beau had said.

"The... ah, Dust upgrades?" Jaune provided.

His father shook his head. "No, well, those too, but I don't have the equipment to apply that upgrade, I'm talking about the... what did you call it, Sword-sword?"

Jaune pouted a little. He had hoped for a chance to practice with the Dust upgrade he had planned before going back to Beacon. Oh well.

Jaune stepped out of the forge while his father applied the greatsword upgrade. Jaune knew his way around the basics of a forge, but mechashift mechanics were still beyond him.

He took the time to do what he often did in the spare moments he had, he familiarized himself with what dossiers Ozpin and Ironwood had on the members of Salem's cabal.

Mercury Black, son of legendary assassin Marcus Black. Emerald Sustrai, the thief with illusion semblance that had tricked Pyrrha into killing Penny. Hazel Rainhart, a man who had a grudge against Ozpin for reasons that were deemed unimportant. Jaune didn't like that. They had enough secrets and lies already.

Next was Adam Taurus. Now, this was one that flat out scared Jaune. For one thing, Adam would have literally disarmed Yang at Beacon if not for the timely intervention of Blake, Sun, and Neptune. In addition, Adam's hatred of the SDC, and by extension, the Schnee family was well documented. If he went after Weiss... with the White Fang at his back...

Jaune made a mental note to ask Blake for more intel on how the White Fang and Adam operated, and about Adam's combat style, pre-knowledge of that might save his life, and Weiss's for that matter.

Next were the murkier ones, the ones that were just rumors, mostly because they weren't confirmed to be alive.

Tyrian Callows, prolific mass-murderer and psychopath. Arthur Watts, master hacker and genius, General Ironwood was convinced that he was dead, killed in a weapons test gone wrong, but Ozpin didn't want to take any chances.

Last but not least, was a woman who needed no introduction to Jaune. Cinder Fall. A woman who had wounded him in such a profound way without even laying a finger on him. A wound, that at the time, only Weiss had been able to soothe. He was doing better now, but there were still bad days. Days when the anger flared up, days when he wanted to tear down the heavens to remove her from existence. Worse still were the bad days. The days where the pain came crashing down on him like an Ursa's paw. The days where he had to hold on to Pyrrha's sash like it was the only thing anchoring him to reality.

Weiss had seen him like that once, the weekend before finals. She simply held him, and made no judgement of how he clung to what, in some respects, was literally a piece of Pyrrha.

"Jaune, it's done. Your armor too."

Jaune reentered the Arc family forge and found his new breastplate, it was heavier, and afforded him better protection then his original armor. More important, was the Mistralian Bronze that adorned it.

"It will be heavier than you're used to, Jaune." Reign-Beau admonished. "But you'll thank me next you go up a set of claws."

Jaune grunted as he took the newly reforged Crocea Mors in his hands, expanded the shield, and sucked in a sudden breath.

"Hello again." Jaune whispered.

A/N: This chapter was basically all setup. This is definitely my first fic of this... magnitude, and I'm excited for how you guys will react to the stuff I have planned.

And before you jump down my throat, Yes, Jacques is mildly OOC. I have a specific story I want to tell with him, and the changes to him are so I can tell that story.

Please leave reviews, It'll help me know what to work on, and gauge interest in this. As long as one person gets enjoyment out of this, I'll continue it to completion, mostly because I hate when I get into a fic and then oops it's abandoned, but I digress.

Next Chapter: Teams RWBY and JNR start their second year at Beacon, how will they cope with the first years already regarding them as legends for their part in the Miracle at Beacon?