I'm so pumped D-Day is so close. I'm rolling a warlock on ps4 what about you guys?

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Death was a funny thing, for all humanity's individuality and personalities there were only a dozen or so ways you took your leave from this world. Some went quietly, content with their life and their place in the next. Others fought you the whole way down scratching and clawing at you to try an get some form of vengeance. Cardin died slowly, I had botched my swing only nicking his heart, he was afraid and alone tears streaming down his face knowing no one was coming to help, no one here cared about him and that his place in the next wouldn't be any better. That fear remained frozen on his face as his last breath left him.

Most people don't understand how easy killing is, when really it's as easy as taking down a beowolf. No the hard part was dealing with the shame and guilt in the following moments, and how a person dealt with that was what really judged their character. For me, a member of the brotherhood, it was clinical detachment. A part of my psyche turned itself off, sealed my emotions away so they didn't have to suffer through the backlash of ripping away a soul from it's host.

It wasn't healthy, I wasn't deluded enough to try and claim that, but it was probably the only reason I have retained my sanity over the past few years. Sighing to myself I started the complex task of hiding my involvement. The easiest thing was changing how the ursa died, my rounds were very distinctive and simply taking Cardin's mace loaded with a fire crystal and smashing it against the skull pulped it in it's entirety.

Hiding the entry wound on Cardin would be a lot more difficult, I couldn't used the mace again as any sign of human hands at work would cause an investigation. While racking my brain for answers I knelt down beside his body and closed his eyes muttering a small three worded prayer.

That's when it clicked.

I rushed over to the jars of sap and started to empty it out on and around the body. That's when a voice broke me out of my tempo.

"Jaune?"

I spun around as quick as I could right arm extended with bolt pistol in hand. Getting caught now would end everything, I would have to come u- I stopped my worried banter when I saw a familiar black and pink haired teen holding up his hands sheepishly, a small smile affixed to his face. I lowered and reholstered the gun He looked around the clearing and let out a low whistle.

"You really get things done when you want to." Ren said walking over.

"How much did you see?" I asked still slightly on edge. Assassin he may be he still wasn't brotherhood.

"Just you pouring the sap, Sky came running up to me and Nora and said something about you and an ursa before passing out so I rushed over." He said with a shrug.

"And Nora?" I walked over to the strung up Faunus and started to cut through the ropes keeping her suspended.

"Carrying him to the main group, I told her to go slow. We have about twenty minutes." He finished just as the ropes gave way, catching her I set her down before cutting away the rope around here wrists.

"Perfect. More then we need actually I can already hear some grimm on the way." Picking her up bridal style I started walking away blood was leaking from her hairline and bruises stood out between the tears in her clothing.

"What about these two?" He asked. I looked back to the two goons lying on the ground.

"Leave Russell. Dove is up to you." He nodded and bent down to pick him up.

We walked in silence for a bit before Ren started to chuckle to himself.

"What?" I asked.

"Helping you get away with murder, what a team building exercise." He responded.

I shot him a grin over my shoulder and was about to respond when voices started to drift from the distance. "Let me do the talking."

Ren's only response was a pointed look.

Ruby and Pyrrha were the first to enter our line of sight both had steely looks of determination on their faces. Not a moment later Blake, Yang and Weiss sprinted into view followed by a skipping, humming Nora.

Blake's eyes zoomed in on me before flickering down to who I was holding "What happened?" She asked.

I can't tell you how tempting it was to tell the truth, to vindicate myself if what actually happened ever came to light. But looking down at the girl I was carrying I couldn't do that. Going through school with the reputation of almost being taken advantage of, let alone what that would mutate into once the rumour mill got ahold of it... No she didn't deserve that. So I made my choice.

"We were collecting sap by a pretty rich clearing and were almost done when an Ursa Major leapt into the clearing. Dove and this girl got his right away and were out cold. Me Ren Russell and Cardin started to fight it off but it went straight for Dove. So Cardin made the call and told us to get these two out of there while they held it off. We were going to head back as soon as we got these two to safety." The words flowed easily from my lips and it seemed they took my word for it.

Ruby was the first to respond saying "Okay Ren can you look after these two? The rest of us will help them."

We all nodded and took off.

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The clearing was a mess, my cover up had worked all too well. Two beowolves were playing a game of tug of war with Russell's fresh corpse while a herd of boartusks were munching into the torso of Cardin. I sighed and went back to the group. It was too quiet when we arrived so it was decided one of us would go to scout the situation.

I instantly looked at Yang and jerked my head to the side, she nodded and walked over. "How innocent is Ruby?" I whispered

The question obviously caught her completely off guard but she caught on quick and winced. "How bad is it."

"Bad. They're almost unrecognizable." I said looking over at the group who were staring at us in curiosity.

"Fuck." She muttered looking down.

"I don't think her OR Nora should help clear them off it'd traumatize them both pretty bad."

She jerked her head up and down before groaning "You're right let's get this over with."

We walked the short distance to everyone else and let Yang tell her sister. "Ruby... I need you to go find Goodwitch. Find her and tell her we have two White Crosses." I winced at how she dropped the KIA code word so easily but Ruby didn't seem to connect the dots. Everyone else though, they recognized it.

Ruby opened her mouth to protest but I held up my hand "I'm sorry Ruby but I'm pulling seniority, you and Nora need to find the professor. You're the fastest here."

Oh boy did she look mad, "Fine, Nora let's go." She spat. I waited till they left before filling the others in.

"I'm not going to lie it's brutal, anyone who wants to sit out I won't blame you." They all got up and walked silently toward the clearing.

=][=

Neither Weiss or Pyrrha ended up being able to stomach it. Weiss running as soon as she saw a glimpse of it, Pyrrha lasted the short fight before emptying her breakfast all over the grass.

Goodwitch arrived shortly after with a bullhead and some of the beacon guard staff started to assemble to boys into bodybags. We politely declined the ride back.

Weiss was the most affected as we walked back, she was visibly shaking so Blake and Pyrrha separated just a bit to comfort her out of ear shot. Leaving me and Yang alone. And we walked silently for a while until she whirled around and punched a tree causing it to splinter.

"Monty dammit!" She roared her hair igniting into flames. When she turned gone were those lilac orbs replace by fiery pits of rage. I will admit I did back pedal slightly at the sight. "How did this happen?! He was an ass but he didn't deserve that!" Another tree was felled before she sunk down and wrapped her arm around her legs.

"Yang..." I bent down and put my hand on her shoulder, her head instantly snapping to it. I could feel it hear up under her stare before she let out a breath and her eyes changed back. "You can't dwell on it. Nothing you could have possibly done could have changed the outcome. They were gone before you even knew about it."

"I-I know but dammit Jaune! How the hell are you so calm?"

"Because I still have friends to worry about. When were out of this forest and you girls are all okay then I'll freak out, wonder about the what ifs. If I was there would they be alive or would i just have gone with them." I said moving to sit beside her.

She looked at me the pout on her face would have been cute in any other circumstance but not now. Not when she was vulnerable. "Why have you been avoiding me Jaune?"

I looked over in her direction before looking away just as quick. "N-no I haven't." I stammered.

"That was a horrible lie, and you know it. It's been two weeks since we went to that club and this is the first conversation we've had. Was it because I fed you drinks all night?"

I shook my head not trusting my voice this was exactly the situation I want to avoid.

Oh Monty I'm going to die...

"Did I come on to strong?! Was I that bad in bed?! Were you another perv just after my body?! Dammit Jaune I miss you!" She was standing again hair ons fire eyes red. I fell back to the ground.

Wait what?

"You mean I slept with you not Ruby?" I blurted out before I could stop myself and clamped a hand over my mouth.

For the second time today that was the complete opposite of whatever she was expecting. She stood there open mouth just staring at me like I was an idiot.

And honestly I was starting to feel like I was.

"How the hell... Did you think that?" She asked slowly obviously still trying to process my question.

Scratching the back of my neck in embarrassment "Hehe well I kind of don't remember that night at all... And when I woke up Ruby was sneaking out of our dorm. What else was I supposed to think? Why was she even in there?!"

It was her turn to act sheepish, "When I left that night after we were done I kind of left Ember Celica in your bed and didn't realize it till the next morning while I was showering so I asked her to grab them..." She explained sitting down.

I couldn't help but laugh "How in the name of Monty did we screw this up so bad."

She laughed to leaning against me, I could listen to that laugh for hours it was melodic. "I don't have any idea."

I stood up still chuckling and offered her my hand. "Come on let's get back, today has been insane."

She grabbed my hand and pulled herself up and quickly stole a kiss before leaving me stunned behind her. A few meters away she glance back "You coming lover boy?" Before walking away swaying her hips ever so slightly more then usual.

"Wait for me." I called before going after her.

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Yep the pairing was decided before the whole Cardin arc even began, the amount of people I had moaning and complaining about it being a Ruby pairing was too damn high! You guys and gals need to have more faith! The next Arc will be more AC oriented.

By the way I generally like to keep a 1-10 chapter review ratio. anything else seems like its not worth the effort and that when things slow down for me.